New Jersey’s black bear hunt will continue after a state appeals court rejected a constitutional challenge to the agency that oversees wildlife management.

In a decision released Thursday, the Appellate Division upheld the authority of the New Jersey Fish and Game Council , dismissing claims that the council is improperly influenced by a private hunting group and lacks sufficient government oversight.

The lawsuit was filed by former Union County Democratic senator, Raymond Lesniak, and his nonprofit, the Lesniak Institute for American Leadership.

They argued that the council’s structure violates the New Jersey Constitution because six of its 11 members are nominated by the New Jersey State Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs, a private organization that advocates for hunting and trappin

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