State wildlife officials counted 725 vehicles at Farmington Bay, almost identical to the 733 from last year's opening day. Under blue skies - not ideal conditions for duck hunting - hunters enjoyed moderate success that also was similar to last year, said Tom Aldrich, waterfowl program coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources.

Many hunters were aware of the warning, issued earlier in the week, when they arrived at the marshes Friday night or Saturday morning. But at least one hunter, Jason Robbins, of Syracuse, was surprised when a volunteer handed him a card explaining that the Utah Department of Health recommends not eating northern shoveler or common goldeneye killed on the Great Salt Lake marshes.

"I just found out," Robbins said as he and three other hunters in his party stopped at a checkpoint on the north end of the Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area. "I'm not surprised though. Just another thing in nature we [people] have ruined."

The warning mattered perhaps more to Robbins and his hunting buddies than to others leaving Farmington Bay because their full limit of 28 ducks included two shovelers.

By 2 p.m., fewer than three dozen shovelers had gone through the checkpoint, leaving wildlife officials to believe that hunters were avoiding shooting the ducks, also known as a spoonbill for their large spoon- or shovel-shaped beaks. It is also possible that some were leaving shovelers on the marsh rather than taking home a bird they will not eat, but that would be counted in their daily limit.

"We have only checked a handful of shovelers and normally on opening weekend we check quite a few. It seems like people are avoiding shooting them," said Aldrich. "We asked everybody who had them what they intended to do with them and we had some people say they would eat them despite the warning."

There are a limited number of goldeneye on the Great Salt Lake marshes, but their numbers will increase as the weather cools.

Hunters who brought shovelers to the checkpoint got a mixed message from Division of Wildlife Resources employees.

"Don't eat it and don't waste it," Farmington Bay manager Rich Hansen told Morgan hunter Dan Wiscome.

"So what do I do with it?" Wiscome responded.

"I have to tell you that," Hansen answered.

When Hansen walked away, Wiscome said he would probably use the shoveler to help train a young hunting dog.

Wayne Goodfellow and his sons, Gavin, 9, and Logan, 6, drove from their home in Farmington and climbed on bikes to reach their favorite spot on the marsh.

"We probably rode about four miles getting to the dike from the parking area," Goodfellow said. "There were a lot of people out there. It was kind of crazy. That opening-morning firing barrage is always impressive."

While some random shooting took place as early as 7:19 a.m., most hunters kept their fingers off the triggers until 7:55 a.m., five minutes before the hunt officially opened at Farmington Bay.

The waterfowl hunt continues through Jan. 16.

bpretty@sltrib.com