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Bowhunting practice questions for Alberta

By Hunters Guide. Last reviewed September 18, 2026.

These 4 bowhunting questions are drawn from the Alberta Hunter Education Practice Exam. They are original practice items written from published Alberta Hunter Education Course curriculum topics, with an explanation on every answer.

Bowhunting questions

  1. 1A new archer asks why broadhead sharpness is treated as such a serious matter. What is the reason?

    1. A broadhead kills by cutting blood vessels and causing rapid blood loss, so a dull edge means a slow death or a lost animal
    2. A sharp broadhead makes the arrow fly faster
    3. Sharpness makes the arrow quieter in flight
    4. A broadhead kills by shock, so the edge only affects penetration depth
    Show the answer

    A broadhead kills by cutting blood vessels and causing rapid blood loss, so a dull edge means a slow death or a lost animal

    An arrow is slow and light next to a bullet, and it works by cutting rather than by impact energy. That makes a razor edge a welfare issue instead of a detail, and it is why the shock answer is wrong even though it sounds technical.

  2. 2A rifle hunter takes up archery and keeps watching animals feed at 200 metres. What has to change about the way they hunt?

    1. They have to close the distance, which means working cover, wind, and patience until the shot is short
    2. They need a heavier arrow that will reach that far
    3. They should raise their draw weight until 200 metres is realistic
    4. Nothing, because archery and rifle ranges are similar
    Show the answer

    They have to close the distance, which means working cover, wind, and patience until the shot is short

    Effective bow range is a small fraction of rifle range, and no amount of draw weight changes that. Bowhunting is mostly a stalking and concealment problem, with the shot as a short final step.

  3. 3Before each practice session you flex and run a hand along every arrow shaft. What are you checking for?

    1. Cracks, splinters, or dents that could make the shaft fail at the shot
    2. Whether the fletching colours match across the set
    3. Whether all the arrows came from one manufacturer
    4. Dust and fingerprints on the shaft
    Show the answer

    Cracks, splinters, or dents that could make the shaft fail at the shot

    A damaged shaft can come apart on release and drive splinters through your bow hand. The check takes seconds, and any arrow you are unsure about gets retired rather than shot one more time.

  4. 4While tracking a deer, your partner comes to full draw and swings the bow through the spot where you are standing. Why is that unacceptable?

    1. A nocked arrow at full draw is a loaded weapon, so it never gets pointed at a person
    2. It only matters if the arrow is nocked the wrong way round
    3. It is fine, because the bow has a mechanical safety
    4. It is fine as long as the bow is a recurve rather than a compound
    Show the answer

    A nocked arrow at full draw is a loaded weapon, so it never gets pointed at a person

    A slip, a startle, or a numb finger can release an arrow, and a broadhead does not need much speed to be fatal. Bows have no safety to fall back on, so the same muzzle discipline you use with a firearm applies to a drawn bow.

Ready for the full set? Take the Alberta Hunter Education Practice Exam.