Denver City Wire

Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) issued a warning to citizens to not feed pumpkins to wildlife.

Contrary to some information spread throughout various social media platforms stating that the public can feed pumpkins to wildlife, CPW said people shouldn't.

“We want our wildlife to be sustained by the resources that naturally occur in their habitat,” Karen Fox, CPW wildlife pathologist, said. “Our policy is definitely to not provide supplemental food to big game in any form.”

In fact, feeding wildlife is considered illegal in the state. Colorado wildlife law states that it is unlawful to knowingly feed big game animals. Feeding deer, elk, pronghorn, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, mountain lions and bears are all prohibited and will incur a $100 fine.

Trina Lynch, district wildlife manager with the Colorado Parks and Wildlife, also cautioned residents that providing a deer with food does not prevent them from devouring attractive plants.

"Some people are under the impression that if they supply a food source to the deer, it will prevent the deer from damaging their ornamental plants," Lynch said. "It usually results in greater damage to your plants.”

CPW Assistant Area Manager Steve McClung added that dumping pumpkins in the forest and public areas is also a poor idea because it might be perceived as baiting, KDVR reported.