Here’s why you shouldn’t let wildlife eat your pumpkins

DENVER — Pumpkin season is fleeting, and once you’re finished carving your jack-o’-lantern, it might be tempting to leave your pumpkin outside for wildlife.

One viral Instagram post that’s been liked more than 160,000 times suggested people break up their used pumpkins to feed to wildlife instead of throwing them out.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) advises Coloradans not to feed their pumpkins to wildlife.

First, intentionally feeding wildlife is illegal in Colorado.

Second, leaving pumpkins out for wildlife can lead to increased human-wildlife conflicts once animals become accustomed to human food sources. Deer feeding on pumpkins can attract predators such as mountain lions to residential areas.

Artificial feeding also disrupts grazing behavior and prompts deer to crowd together in small areas where they are more likely to be chased by dogs, hit by cars and spread disease, CPW said.

Bears are also attracted to the pumpkins as they look to pile on calories during the last days before denning season.

CPW said it encouraged people looking to put Halloween pumpkins to better use than disposal in a landfill to find composting opportunities in local communities.

CPW also asks the public to refrain from dumping pumpkins on public lands.

“We do see pumpkins tossed out in the forest. Please don’t do that,” said CPW Assistant Area Wildlife Manager Steve McClung. “It can be viewed as baiting.”

“As far as in-town pumpkins go, bears are still around and haven’t gone to bed yet. Other animals such as raccoons that may carry distemper or other diseases could also get into those pumpkins, and you don’t want potentially sick animals hanging around your home, especially if you have pets. Please find appropriate ways to discard your pumpkins after Halloween.”