By Travis Bader, founder of Silvercore Outdoors.
Last updated: 24 October 2026
Silvercore teaches the CORE hunter education course in person at its home classroom in Delta (#115 7198 Vantage Way) and in Langley, Victoria, Nanaimo, Parksville and the Comox Valley. The course is $210 plus tax with the written and practical exams included, and the BC Wildlife Federation charges $30 for your certificate once you pass. If you would rather study at home, Silvercore is the official provider of the online hunter education course for the BCWF, and you then sit the CORE exams in person with a qualified examiner.
What is the CORE course?
CORE is the Conservation and Outdoor Recreation Education program, the hunter safety training course established under BC's Hunter Safety Training Regulation. The BC Wildlife Federation administers it. Passing CORE earns the hunting credential BC adds to your Fish and Wildlife ID (FWID), which you need to buy a BC hunting licence or apply for Limited Entry Hunting.
CORE and the PAL are separate credentials. CORE is BC's hunter education program. The PAL is your federal firearms licence, earned through the Canadian Firearms Safety Course (CFSC). To hunt with a firearm in BC you need both.
Where does Silvercore teach CORE in person?
The CORE Hunter Education Course runs at these locations:
- Delta, at the Silvercore training facility, #115 7198 Vantage Way, Delta BC. This is the home classroom.
- Langley, in the Lower Mainland.
- Victoria, Nanaimo, Parksville and the Comox Valley, on Vancouver Island.
The course calendar on the course page lists upcoming dates at each location.
What does the in-person course include?
- Two days and a minimum of 16 hours of instruction, with the provincial exams on day two.
- The written exam: 90 multiple-choice questions, with 68 correct needed to pass.
- The practical firearms handling exam: 23 out of 30 needed to pass.
- Instruction from BCWF-certified CORE instructors and examiners.
- A copy of the BC Hunting and Trapping Regulations Synopsis to use in class.
The course is $210 plus tax. After you pass, the BCWF charges $30 for your certificate of completion. Bring one piece of government-issued photo ID. The minimum age to take CORE is 10. Our page on CORE cost and length breaks down the full cost.
If you have already passed the CFSC, bring your CFSC Course Report and you are exempt from the CORE practical exam. A PAL card is not accepted as proof of that exemption under BCWF rules.
Can I take CORE online?
Yes. Silvercore is the official provider of the online hunter education course for the BCWF. The CORE Hunter Education Course (Online) is $98 and includes the mandatory $30 graduation certificate fee. You have access for one year from the date of purchase.
The online course covers the theory. It does not include the exams. After you finish it, you complete the written exam and, unless you are exempt, the practical firearms handling test with a qualified examiner. The exam fee is separate and paid to your examiner.
Where do I write the CORE exams after the online course?
Silvercore runs the CORE Challenge Exam after every CORE course and regularly at the Silvercore classroom in Delta. Challenges are by appointment. The written challenge is $30, and the practical exam is an additional $30 if you are not exempt. You have one hour for the written exam, closed book, with the BC Hunting and Trapping Regulations Synopsis provided as a reference.
The challenge is also open to experienced hunters who already know the material and want to test out of the full course.
Book the CORE Hunter Education Course. Two days, $210 plus tax, both exams included, in Delta, Langley or on Vancouver Island.
What if I took hunter education in another province?
BC's WILD system accepts a document from another Canadian province or territory, or from an international jurisdiction, that shows you completed hunter safety training. A document that is not in English or French needs a notarized translation. You submit it as your hunting credential online in WILD or in person at a FrontCounter BC or Service BC office. If you have no qualifying document, take the CORE course or the CORE Challenge Exam.
Frequently asked questions
Can I take CORE and the PAL course at the same time?
No. Silvercore does not combine the CORE course with the Canadian Firearms Safety Course (CFSC) or the restricted PAL course (CRFSC), because Canadian Firearms Program rules do not allow the CFSC or CRFSC to be combined with any other course. Book them on separate days.
Is the CORE course offered on Vancouver Island?
Yes. Silvercore teaches the in-person CORE course in Victoria, Nanaimo, Parksville and the Comox Valley. The course calendar on the CORE Hunter Education Course page lists upcoming dates at each location.
Do I need a PAL before I take CORE?
No. CORE has no firearms licence prerequisite. To hunt with a firearm in BC you need both the hunting credential CORE gives you and a PAL to possess the firearm.
What happens after I pass CORE?
You receive your BCWF registration form, and the BCWF issues your certificate of completion for a $30 fee. Once the hunting credential is on your FWID, you can buy a BC hunting licence and apply for Limited Entry Hunting.
