
CORE Hunter Education Course
Successful completion of the CORE Hunter Education course exam is required to obtain your Fish & Wildlife ID (FWID). This is a passport to hunting services in British Columbia. You need a FWID to buy a hunting licence or to apply for Limited Entry Hunting.Overview
The CORE (Conservation and Outdoor Recreation Education) program is British Columbia's hunter education standard, administered by the BC Wildlife Federation. Completing CORE is how a first-time hunter earns the hunting credential for a Fish and Wildlife ID (FWID), which you need to buy a BC hunting licence or apply for Limited Entry Hunting. The Silvercore CORE course is $210 plus tax, runs a minimum of 16 hours over two days, includes both the written exam (80 multiple-choice questions, 75% to pass) and the practical firearms handling exam, and is taught in Delta, Langley, Victoria, Nanaimo, Parksville, and the Comox Valley.
One point of confusion worth settling right away: CORE and the PAL are different credentials from different levels of government, and one does not replace the other. CORE is BC's hunter education program and leads to your FWID and hunting licence. The PAL is your federal firearms licence, earned through the CFSC, and is what lets you legally possess the firearm you hunt with. To hunt with a firearm in BC you need both, and the two courses cannot be combined into one sitting under RCMP program rules.
Designed with the novice outdoor enthusiast in mind, our BC Wildlife Federation (BCWF) approved CORE course covers everything from hunting regulations and animal identification to the safe handling of non-restricted firearms (long guns). Our hunter education program gives you the best preparation possible for the provincial hunters exam, which is administered on day two. The exam includes a 80-question multiple-choice test and a practical firearms handling test.
This course is taught at Silvercore training locations across BC. The home facility is in Delta. It also runs in the Lower Mainland at Langley, and on Vancouver Island at Victoria, Nanaimo, Parksville, and the Comox Valley.
Special Offer
For those students that don't have a PAL license and want to pre-study to gain an understanding of firearm operation and safety, we also offer CFSC / CRFSC Online Theory. You will have the option to add the Online Theory course for an additional $44 at checkout, for a $35 savings.* Purchasing the Online Theory course is optional and not a requirement prior to your course, although students who select this option on average score higher than those who don't.
* Must be purchased at the same time as your in-person course to redeem discounted rate
- This course satisfies the education requirements to apply for your Fish and Wildlife ID (FWID).
- Increase your chances for success, and get the most out of your education, with support from the Silvercore Podcast and Blog Posts.

Topics Covered
- Outdoor Ethics and Game Care
- Firearm Handling and Archery Equipment
- Hunting Regulations
- Animals of British Columbia
- Birds of British Columbia
- Outdoor Survival, First Aid and Field Craft
- Hunter Heritage, Conservation and Wildlife Management
- Indigenous Peoples & Hunting in B.C.
- How to use the Hunting and Trapping Regulation Synopsis
- BCWF Registration Form