CHEYENNE — The Wyoming Game and Fish Department is asking residents to properly dispose of pumpkins instead of leaving them out for wildlife to eat.

It may seem harmless to leave pumpkins out, but it is quite the opposite, especially for mule deer, whose digestive system cannot process unnatural foods. This often leads to sick animals. Pumpkins left outside also can attract scavenging animals from raccoons to bears. 

“This time of year the department gets many calls about sickly deer fawns, and much of this can be attributed to these deer eating foods that offer little nutritional value and having a difficult time digesting the unnatural food. This makes them susceptible to parasites and other diseases,” said Breanna Ball, Game and Fish public information officer. 

Many places in Wyoming have feeding ordinances, making the intentional feeding of wildlife by private citizens illegal. Please check with your city or county for more information. 

Here are some other things you can do to help wildlife this time of year:

• Pick up your hammocks, soccer nets and tomato cages, and consider placing holiday lights out of reach.
• Keep your pets confined and/or on a leash and do not allow pets to chase wildlife. Keep your distance and give wildlife plenty of room. 
• Slow down on roadways for migrating wildlife, especially at dawn and dusk. Plan for added time in your travels.
• If you have fences, make them wildlife-friendly and open gates wherever possible for easier wildlife movement.