Minnesota hunters will have their first opportunity to hunt deer with firearms on Saturday.

More than 400,000 hunters are expected to hit the field this weekend, and deer populations are looking very good, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

Lt. Col. Robert Gorecki of the DNR said the mild winter and a good spring have been beneficial to deer populations, and it’s not just the deer population that has increased.

“License sales have caught up,” Gorecki told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS. “Most people are waiting to buy their licenses today, but we’re on track like last year, maybe a little bit more than last year.”

He recommends hunters buy their license before Friday, before the season starts. He also recommends that everyone on hunting grounds, whether hunting or not, wear orange or other fluorescent colors.

The latest forecast for the opening weekend calls for lows in the 50s with rain moving into the state Saturday and lasting through part of Sunday morning. You can find the latest forecast from the Minnesota Weather Service by CLICK HERE.

Lt. Minnesota Governor Peggy Flanagan will hold the opening deer hunt in Sandstone on Friday at 5 p.m.

For those who need a quick brush up on basic hunter safety rules, or for those who need to educate younger hunters on the rules, the DNR has provided a quick list of basics on their website.

For a longer comprehensive guide to this year’s deer season, licensing requirements and specific deer hunting dates, CLICK HERE. Make sure you also know if you will be hunting in an area that is in a chronic wasting disease (CWD) management or surveillance area. You can do this by CLICK HERE.

If you shoot a deer this season, 5 EYE WITNESS NEWS would like to see it. If you have photos of your travels of hunting that you want to share with us, you can submit them using our service photo sharing link.