Colorado Halloween pumpkins can attract bears

Our Halloween pumpkins are now on the “Bear hibernating for winter” menu. Be aware. Be bear aware or you might get a big fright on your front porch.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife are urging residents all over Colorado to keep the pumpkins inside this fall—even before they’re carved.

A jack-o’-lantern might look festive to us, but to a hungry bear, it’s a snack with a face.

And the bears have already found the seasonal specials. CPW reports bears eating pumpkins in front yards and feasting on gourds outside grocery stores. One even helped itself to food at an Aspen farmers market.

We can laugh at a bear going grocery shopping, but the reason behind these visits isn’t funny.

Drought and wildfires have made finding food more difficult, pushing bears into Colorado neighborhoods.

As they prepare for hibernation, they can consume as many as 20,000 calories a day.

That’s a lot of pumpkins—and a good reason not to leave dinner on the doorstep.

CPW recommends displaying pumpkins indoors, where we can still enjoy them through a window. It’s also a good time to secure garbage, bring in bird feeders and pet food, and pick up fallen fruit.

Put them in the window inside the house to be safe.

The bears will have to find another dinner reservation.

Read more from Colorado Parks and Wildlife below

CPW asking residents to leave pumpkins inside to avoid attracting bears and deer