I remember a thread on this topic a while back. Here's Backpacker Magazine's response to the question: Bear canister in winter?

It might depend on where you go, but I have never used one. As a matter of fact, once we just left our food sprawled out on the snow, including two polish in a fry pan. Wolves were around but no takers. This was in February.

bears are hibernating in minnesota. they aren't an issue. the biggest pests are canadian jays.

quote jwartman59: "bears are hibernating in minnesota. they aren't an issue. the biggest pests are canadian jays."

I tend to agree, Canadian Jays will take anything small that appears to be food. I had one take a hotel size bar of soap. Hope he enjoyed his lunch.

In Minnesota you might need it if crawl into their din and wake them up! When you wake up a hibernating bear they're really grumpy.

Bears don't hibernate they torpor- which means on a warm day in Feb they could wake up.

But I never bring a canister when camping mid winter. But you do need a way to keep mice out of your food. I was on a trip with teens who didn't think it was important to keep their gorp off the ground. Needless to day a mouse got into their bag and hate half of it

Gray Jays (Canada Jay or Whiskey Jack) are the issue. They are fearless.

Sorry!
When you wake a topornating they are grumpy and hungry!!