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Case Against NJ Bear Hunt Ended By Supreme Court

TRENTON, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- The New Jersey Supreme Court will not consider a case challenging the state-sanctioned black bear hunt.

The court announced Friday that it had turned away a request filed by two animal-protection groups.

The Animal Protection League of New Jersey and the Bear Education and Resource Group challenged the Division of Fish and Wildlife's Comprehensive Black Bear Management Policy, which includes an annual hunt.

The court's decision effectively ends the case.

Lawyer Doris Lin, a spokeswoman for the groups, said they'll continue to fight the hunt by lobbying lawmakers and local officials.

The state says a hunt is necessary to manage the bear population.

The division reports 469 bears were killed during a six-day hunt in December. In 2010, nearly 600 bears were killed during the annual hunt.

The groups won a similar legal challenge in 2007 and last year, activists were given permission to protest at certain bear check stations during the six-day hunt.

(TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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