Exam guide: BC CORE hunter education exams

At a glance (checked 2026-09-28; bcwf.bc.ca blocked automated re-check on 2026-10-03)

Item	Detail
Program	Conservation and Outdoor Recreation Education (CORE) - operated by the BC Wildlife Federation for the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship
Required for	BC residents 10 or older seeking a hunting credential (other provinces' and countries' hunter safety certificates are accepted)
Written exam	90 multiple-choice questions; at least 68 correct to pass (about 75.6 %); based on the CORE Manual and the Regulations Synopsis
Practical exam	Safely handle 2 of 5 firearm action types with dummy ammunition; 23 of 30 to pass; examiner supplies firearms
Practical exemption	Bring a completed CFSC report form (a PAL card is not accepted)
Fees	$30 per written attempt and $30 per practical attempt (paid to the examiner) + $30 BCWF graduation fee
Retakes	A failed exam must be retaken on a different day
Preparation	In-person course with a certified examiner (fees vary), self-study with the CORE Manual, or BCWF's online course ($98 + GST, includes the graduation fee; exams still in person)
Study time	About 21 hours of self-study and handling practice

Written exam subjects

1. Conservation
2. Ethics
3. Law and Regulations
4. First Aid and Survival
5. Firearm Safety
6. Animal Identification
7. Bird Identification
8. Indigenous Peoples & Hunting in BC

Supplemental information in the CORE Manual is not tested.

Key fact: You need 68 of 90 on the written exam - you can miss at most 22 questions.

Registration and ID

Complete the examiner's registration form before your first exam and bring it to every exam session, with any identification your examiner asks for.

After you pass both exams

1. The examiner gives you a document of completion.
2. Send it with the $30 fee to BCWF to receive your graduation certificate.
3. Use the certificate to add the hunting credential to your Fish and Wildlife ID (FWID) - free, age 10+ - online or at FrontCounter BC / Service BC.
4. Buy your hunting licence and species licences.

Exam strategy

• Learn BC-specific rules: one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset for game; loaded firearm in/on any conveyance prohibited; shotgun magazine plugged to 2; 15 m road allowance; no FMJ bullets for hunting.
• Bird and animal identification is two whole subjects - study pictures until you can name species by silhouette and markings.

How to study with this app

1. Read this guide and the BC law and regulations note.
2. Work through identification, firearm safety, survival and ethics notes.
3. Sit the three practice papers in the 90-question format.