What is encouraging is that rearing success of those ducks using the man-made nests is upward of 80 percent, versus anywhere from zero to 20 percent for ducks nesting elsewhere.

Again, the big problem is that the number of predators, especially raccoons that are increasing rapidly in marshy areas, put both ducks and geese in constant jeopardy.

Another problem is the spread of phragmites, a dense ornamental plant that is non-native to Utah and is limiting nesting opportunities. Ducks and geese are being forced to nest along dikes, which are perfect predator corridors.

The goose nests are an elevated platform with three bails of straw placed in the shape of an L.

Hansen said all of the goose nests will be used this spring, "some as many as two or three times. A pair of geese will wait around until the nesting pair has successfully hatched their young, and when they leave, the waiting pair will occupy the nest."

The problem is that once the goslings have hatched and are able to fly, they head into the cities and become nuisance birds on golf courses and private ponds.

Under a project undertaken last year, 400 geese were tagged by DWR biologist prior to the hunting season. Only 24 tags were returned, which supports the belief that geese have learned that once shooting opens on the annual duck hunt, they move into the cities.

Last summer, the DWR undertook a program where it trapped 1,700 city geese — 1,000 adults and 700 juveniles — and moved them to remote locations.

Hansen said the summer project was very successful.

"Of the 500 geese fitted with neck collars, only 100 with collars came back into the city. Our juvenile program was more successful. Young geese were taken to areas where the wild could be imprinted on them. Only five of those geese came back to the city," he said.

"We were extremely successful in getting the juveniles into the wild."

The summer program will be repeated in June.

Taylor said he originally suggested the project as an educational tool in hopes of getting people better acquainted with waterfowl.

Instrumental in the refurbishing of the nests are the Utah Airboaters. About 20 of the prop-driven boats showed up to take volunteers out to nesting sites.

The airboats, with flat bottoms, square noses and elevated engines pushed by a propeller, have been coming to the marshes for about 15 years setting up goose nests.

The boats glide easily over shallow water, ice, snow and short vegetation, areas that are nearly impossible to walk over.

Taylor has also been involved in placing nesting sites for wood ducks.

The reason for singling out a species, he said, is because the wood duck is very reclusive and chooses to nest in caverns as opposed to open nests. Breeding success in the wood-duck boxes is between 80 and 90 percent. He has helped to place the boxes along the Wasatch Front, between Logan and Utah County and, here, too, he would like to expand this project.

In all of these projects, volunteers have become crucial to their success. And, as Taylor noted, it is an opportunity for people to learn firsthand about the living conditions and life of Utah's waterfowl.

Anyone interested in volunteering for waterfowl projects can contact Taylor at carl@thedeuckman.net.

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E-mail: grass@desnews.com