Don't leave out pumpkins and other edible Halloween decorations, says Arizona Game and Fish

Halloween is right around the corner and the Arizona Game and Fish Department is reminding people that those carved pumpkins could attract unwanted trick or treaters.

Spooky season could get spookier if you leave out edible Halloween decorations like a ripened jack-o-lantern.

Javelinas, coyotes, even bears are always looking for an easy meal. So, Game and Fish is recommending that carved and uncarved pumpkins, and any cornucopia of root vegetables be displayed indoors, then securely discarded to prevent wildlife encounters.

Or if you must put them outside, place them high off the ground.

With the exception of birds, it’s illegal to knowingly feed wildlife in Pima, Maricopa and Pinal counties.

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Javelina: Halloween Pumpkin Thieves

Steve Shadley

Trick-or-treaters won’t be alone in the search for sweet snacks this Halloween. Here’s a warning: Anyone who decorates the outside of their home with real pumpkins might be visited by wild animals in search of food.

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