My CORE Certificate

Over 10 years ago, I took the CORE (Conservation & Outdoor Recreation Education) course. However, I soon left B.C. and didn't bother getting a hunter's number. In my various moves roaming around North America, I seemed to have lost the certificate. This past summer I got hunter's itch and called the B.C. Wildlife Federation and asked them if they could do anything for me, such as look me up in their system. They tried but couldn't find me. I kind of shrugged my shoulders and left it at that.

One of my close friends frequently prods me to get my hunter's number so we can go hunting together. (It's sure tastier than shooting cans in the bush, I guess.) So anyhow, once I was talking to Foxworth (from canadiangunnutz.com) and he told me that there used to be an affidavit program where you could just take an oath that you took the course and that would be an acceptable source of proof. I called the BCWF again but Paul Adams was away on a hunting trip. The woman I spoke to told me that if I wasn't in their database, I might be on microfiche and I'd have to wait for Paul to get back to search. I called back and finally got hold of him. I asked him if he could search the microfiche but he told me that it only contained records of hunter numbers, not people who completed the CORE course. He also told me that the affidavit program was cancelled about 10 years ago. My only alternative was to challenge the exam or ask my instructor (from the Richmond Rod & Gun Club) if he had proof of my having passed the exam. Oh well.

Fast forward: we're moving within Richmond and my wife decided she didn't want to drag over all the "important papers" without going through them. You guessed it: she found my CORE certificate! Alhamdulillah!

And for those of you who are wondering, "Why hunt deer?" It's not my fault. If they didn't want to get shot, how come they run around looking so tasty? It's their fault.