Jack Paluh's Native American painting "Fierce Opponent" captures a winter hunting party in pursuit of a denned bear.  A fire-bearer lights his cane dart, jamming it into the top cave.  Heavy smoke curls up out of the bruin’s lair forcing the black bear to approach the entrance and confusing his keen sense of smell.  The hunters prepared for this moment to detain the bear’s escape.  They wait in tense silence.  It is late winter and the cornered bear, aroused from his hibernation, can soon become a Fierce Opponent.