The word certification trips people up. Students ask us for their CORE certificate expecting a card that lets them hunt. What CORE actually gets you is the education requirement for your Fish and Wildlife ID, the FWID, and the FWID is what unlocks everything else in BC: hunting licences, species tags, and Limited Entry Hunting applications. No CORE, no FWID. No FWID, no hunting in British Columbia.

If you are in Vancouver and want to hunt this fall, here is exactly how the CORE process works, where to take it, and what it costs.

Continue on the Silvercore Path

• How to Hunt in BC (start here)
• Guide to Limited Entry Hunting in British Columbia
• Common CORE Hunter Course Questions and Answers

What CORE actually is

CORE stands for Conservation and Outdoor Recreation Education. It is the BC Wildlife Federation's hunter education program, and successful completion of the CORE exams is a provincial requirement to obtain your FWID. The curriculum covers hunting regulations, animal identification, outdoor ethics, game care, and the safe handling of non-restricted firearms. Silvercore's CORE course is BCWF approved and designed with the novice outdoor enthusiast in mind. You do not need any firearms experience to walk in the door.

Where to take CORE near Vancouver

Our in-person CORE courses serving Vancouver run at Douglas College in New Westminster (an easy SkyTrain ride from downtown), our home facility in Delta, and The Range Langley. The in-person CORE Hunter Education course is $210, and your written exam and practical firearms handling test are administered as part of the course.

If a classroom weekend does not fit your schedule, there is a second path: the online CORE course, supplied through our partnership with the BC Wildlife Federation. It is the only BCWF online training course that includes the mandatory $30 student graduation certificate you need to obtain your FWID. You study at your own pace, then complete the required in-person examination.

Grew up hunting and already know the material cold? Experienced outdoors people with a history of safe firearms handling can skip the classroom and go straight to the exam via a CORE exam challenge. We run challenges after every CORE course and regularly at our Delta facility. Do not underestimate it, though. It is the same exam, standards are strictly enforced, and it is your job to know the material before you sit down.

Already have your CFSC? You can skip the practical

If you have already passed the Canadian Firearms Safety Course, you can be exempted from the practical firearms handling portion of the CORE examination. One catch that surprises people: per BCWF rules, your PAL card is not accepted as proof. You need your CFSC course report itself. If you trained with Silvercore and lost yours, our office can pull a copy for a small administrative fee.

How to prepare for the exam

The students who struggle are the ones who show up cold. We built a free study tool: CORE Exam Mastery, 300 practice questions with explanations. Work through it before your course or challenge and the exam will hold no surprises.

From exam pass to hunting licence

Pass your exams and you receive your graduation certificate. Take it to a Service BC office, or set up a Basic BCeID online and register your FWID yourself through the BC government website. Once the FWID is active you can buy your hunting licence and tags and enter the Limited Entry Hunting draws. If LEH is new to you, our LEH guide walks through the entire system, deadlines included.

Book your CORE course now

Your first seasons are easier with backup

New hunters have a thousand questions after the course ends. The Silvercore Club is where those questions get answered: Silvercore branded online courses included free with membership, member insurance, partner discounts on the gear you are about to start buying, and a community of hunters and outdoors people across Canada. It is $59 a year, and it keeps you sharp and has your back.

Join the Silvercore Club

Travis Bader Silvercore Outdoors

FAQ

Where can I get CORE certification in Vancouver, BC? Silvercore runs BCWF-approved CORE courses serving Vancouver at Douglas College in New Westminster, our Delta training facility, and The Range Langley. An online CORE course and in-person exam challenges are also available.

How much does the CORE course cost? The in-person CORE Hunter Education course is $210, with the exams administered as part of the course. The online CORE course through the BCWF includes the mandatory $30 graduation certificate required for your FWID.

Do I need CORE if I already have my PAL? Yes. The PAL is a federal firearms licence; CORE is BC's hunter education requirement for the FWID. A CFSC course report can exempt you from the practical portion of the CORE exam, but your PAL card is not accepted as proof per BCWF rules.

What does the FWID let me do? The Fish and Wildlife ID is your passport to hunting services in BC. You need it to buy a hunting licence and species tags, and to apply for Limited Entry Hunting.