Pennsylvania Hunter-Trapper Education Practice Test 2026: Practice test 4

Practice test 4 of 6 for the Pennsylvania Hunter-Trapper Education Practice Test: 25 more questions with answers and explanations.

Hunting
Pennsylvania
134 questions
Checked October 10, 2026

Question 1 of 25
What should you do before you climb a steep bank, jump a ditch or get into a boat?
- Put the safety on and keep it loaded
- Unload your firearm
- Hold the barrel for balance
- Put your finger on the trigger
Show answer
Answer: B. Unload your firearm
Unload whenever there is a chance you could slip or fall.
Question 2 of 25
In the diagram, why is shot 1 safe and shot 2 unsafe?
- Shot 2 is safe because the house is far
- Shot 1 is closer
- Shot 1 ends in an earth bank; shot 2 is against open sky, with a house hidden beyond the ridge
- Both are safe, because the hunter is kneeling and aiming very carefully at the deer
Show answer
Answer: C. Shot 1 ends in an earth bank; shot 2 is against open sky, with a house hidden beyond the ridge
A safe shot has a backstop. Never shoot at an animal on a ridge or skyline.
Question 3 of 25
Which direction is a "safe direction" to point a firearm?
- Always straight up, since bullets fired into the air cannot come back down with force
- Toward your hunting partner's feet
- Always at your feet
- One where an accidental shot could not injure anyone or damage property
Show answer
Answer: D. One where an accidental shot could not injure anyone or damage property
What is safe depends on the situation. Think about people, buildings and hard surfaces.
Question 4 of 25
How should you carry a harvested wild turkey out of the woods?
- Over your shoulder in full view
- Wrapped in blaze orange so it is not mistaken for a live bird
- Held up high so other hunters can clearly see its beard and fan
- Hidden in camouflage
Show answer
Answer: B. Wrapped in blaze orange so it is not mistaken for a live bird
Covering the bird keeps other hunters from seeing turkey colors moving through the woods.
Question 5 of 25
What should duck hunters wear in a boat?
- Heavy waders only
- Nothing extra
- A life jacket only if they cannot swim
- A life jacket (PFD) at all times
Show answer
Answer: D. A life jacket (PFD) at all times
A fall overboard into cold water can quickly become deadly, and a life jacket only helps if you are wearing it.
Question 6 of 25
Why do states ask hunters to report their harvest?
- To pick lottery winners
- The data helps biologists set seasons and bag limits
- To sell hunters' contact information to outdoor stores
- Only to collect fees
Show answer
Answer: B. The data helps biologists set seasons and bag limits
Harvest reports show how many animals were taken and where.
Question 7 of 25
Which field carry gives the best control of the firearm?
- The sling carry
- The one-hand trail carry
- The shoulder carry
- The two-hand (ready) carry
Show answer
Answer: D. The two-hand (ready) carry
With both hands on the gun and the muzzle up and ahead, you have full control and can raise it quickly.
Question 8 of 25
Why is non-toxic shot required for waterfowl hunting in the US?
- Lead pellets left in wetlands can poison waterfowl that swallow them
- Non-toxic shot is quieter
- Lead shot rusts
- Lead is too heavy for most shotguns to fire safely at flying ducks and geese
Show answer
Answer: A. Lead pellets left in wetlands can poison waterfowl that swallow them
Ducks and geese swallow spent pellets while feeding.
Question 9 of 25
Why is "sky busting" (shooting at ducks or geese that are too far away) a bad practice?
- It wounds birds that fly off and are never recovered
- It uses too little ammunition
- It is the best way to hunt geese, so it is not a bad practice
- It is only bad on windy days
Show answer
Answer: A. It wounds birds that fly off and are never recovered
Shoot only at birds within your effective range so you can kill cleanly and retrieve them.
Question 10 of 25
You hunt alone and reach a fence. What is your first step, as shown in the diagram?
- Unload the firearm and open the action
- Lean the loaded gun on a post
- Pass the loaded gun through the wires first
- Climb over while holding the firearm
Show answer
Answer: A. Unload the firearm and open the action
Always unload before crossing a fence or other obstacle.
Question 11 of 25
When turkey hunting, what kind of spot should you sit against?
- Open ground with nothing behind you, so you can see all around
- A small sapling
- The edge of a road
- A tree or stump wider than your shoulders
Show answer
Answer: D. A tree or stump wider than your shoulders
A wide backstop helps protect you from a hunter shooting from behind and hides your outline.
Question 12 of 25
Which species is a well-known conservation success story, restored with help from hunter-funded programs?
- Carolina parakeet
- Great auk
- Passenger pigeon
- Wild turkey
Show answer
Answer: D. Wild turkey
Wild turkeys were restored to most of their former range through trapping, moving birds and habitat work.
Question 13 of 25
What is a common distress signal?
- Three of anything, such as three whistle blasts or three fires
- Waving a hat once
- Two short flashes of light
- One long shout
Show answer
Answer: A. Three of anything, such as three whistle blasts or three fires
Signals in threes are recognized as a call for help.
Question 14 of 25
What does "fair chase" mean?
- Hunting without an unfair or improper advantage over the animal
- Chasing game with a vehicle until it gets too tired to run any farther
- Giving the animal a head start
- Shooting only running animals
Show answer
Answer: A. Hunting without an unfair or improper advantage over the animal
Fair chase shows respect for the animal and for hunting.
Question 15 of 25
In the tree stand diagram, what is item 1?
- A single chest strap
- A full-body harness
- A loose rope
- A waist belt
Show answer
Answer: B. A full-body harness
Always use a full-body harness in a tree stand.
Question 16 of 25
When should you nock an arrow?
- When you leave your vehicle
- While climbing a tree stand, to save time later when game appears
- Only when you are ready to shoot at an identified target
- While walking through brush
Show answer
Answer: C. Only when you are ready to shoot at an identified target
A nocked arrow can be released by accident.
Question 17 of 25
What does the Pittman-Robertson Act fund wildlife restoration with?
- An excise tax on sporting arms and ammunition
- A tax on gasoline
- A tax on fishing boats only
- Fines collected from poachers in every state
Show answer
Answer: A. An excise tax on sporting arms and ammunition
The Act uses an 11 percent excise tax on sporting arms and ammunition.
Question 18 of 25
In what year did Congress pass the Pittman-Robertson Act (Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act)?
- 1918
- 1900
- 1964
- 1937
Show answer
Answer: D. 1937
The 1937 Act sends money from excise taxes to state wildlife agencies.
Question 19 of 25
Which of these is a safe rule about alcohol and drugs?
- Do not use them before or during hunting or shooting
- They are fine if you hunt with a bow
- A little is fine for experienced hunters who know their limits
- They are fine in a tree stand
Show answer
Answer: A. Do not use them before or during hunting or shooting
Alcohol and drugs slow reactions and hurt judgment.
Question 20 of 25
Which of these is a limiting factor for a deer herd?
- A hard winter with little food
- A highway sign
- A full moon in the fall
- A new hunting license design
Show answer
Answer: A. A hard winter with little food
Disease, predators, weather and food supply limit how much a population can grow.
Question 21 of 25
Which animal has broad, flat (palmated) antlers?
- Elk
- White-tailed deer
- Pronghorn
- Moose
Show answer
Answer: D. Moose
Bull moose have large, palm-shaped antlers.
Question 22 of 25
Since 1934, what federal stamp must waterfowl hunters age 16 and older buy?
- A federal fishing stamp
- The Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp (Duck Stamp)
- A national park pass
- A federal deer and turkey stamp
Show answer
Answer: B. The Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp (Duck Stamp)
Duck Stamp money buys and protects wetland habitat for the National Wildlife Refuge System.
Question 23 of 25
Why is cotton a poor choice in cold, wet weather?
- It is too warm
- It soaks up water and loses its insulation when wet
- It is too bright
- It is banned for hunting clothing in most states
Show answer
Answer: B. It soaks up water and loses its insulation when wet
Wool and synthetics keep more warmth when damp.
Question 24 of 25
When should you NOT use the trail carry, which points the muzzle ahead and down?
- When someone is walking behind you on the trail
- When someone is walking in front of you
- When you are alone in an open field
- When you are on a road
Show answer
Answer: B. When someone is walking in front of you
In the trail carry, the muzzle points ahead, toward anyone in front.
Question 25 of 25
Why can deer hunters wear blaze orange?
- Deer see colors differently, so orange does not stand out to them as it does to us
- Deer are completely color-blind, so they cannot see any bright colors at all in daylight
- Deer are attracted to orange
- Orange is only worn after shooting
Show answer
Answer: A. Deer see colors differently, so orange does not stand out to them as it does to us
Hunter orange is very visible to people. Movement and scent are more likely to alert deer.

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