Locked and Loaded: Your Guide to the 2011 Deer Hunting Season

Hundreds of thousands of hunters will be taking aim at Minnesota's deer herd this weekend, as the firearm season opener begins at dawn Saturday morning.

It'll be breezy, but forecasts for the 2011 deer hunting opener are more favorable than they've been in years—with temperatures expected in the mid to upper 50s Saturday and Sunday.

Patch has packaged a compilation of information and data gathered by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

• Where you can buy your deer hunting license

• Where there are designated deer hunting in metro parks

• By the Numbers: Did you know a deer's home range is about 1 square mile? Or that the average weight of a deer is the same as that of a human? Learn more.

• New This Year: Register Your Deer via Smart Phone: Hunting has gone high-tech in Minnesota. Hunters can now register their deer with their phone right at the kill site. We have complete details.

• How to Donate Your Deer to Those in Need: Food shelves throughout Minnesota are partnering with state agencies and local meat processors to make donation an attractive option for hunters. Here's how.

• : Conservation officers cite hundreds of hunters each year for a wide variety of infractions. Find out what they are and how to avoid trouble.

• Nominees sought for Minnesota Deer Hunter Ethics Award: Hunters who exemplify outstanding hunting ethics are being sought for nomination for this year's MDHA Ethics Award. Find out how to submit a nominee.

• Hunters Asked to Help Conservation Officers Take Aim at Poachers: Game wardens will be dramatically outnumbered by hunters this weekend, and the DNR is asking for help in tracking poachers who harvest deer illegally.