TREMPEALEAU COUNTY, Wis. (WKBT) - Hunting and fishing opportunities in local wildlife refuges will be expanding.

The U.S.'s Secretary of the Interior is proposing to expand the hunt-able areas of 30 refuges across the nation. The Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge is one of those that would be impacted.

Refuge managers say another 150 acres of the refuge north of Trempealeau River would be open to hunters and fishermen initially. More space would open as the refuge claims new land.

"We do encourage allowing hunting for different uses that are compatible with our mission in the refuge system. Hunting allows us to control wildlife populations and help meet our management goals,” said National Wildlife Refuge System Area Supervisor Sabrina Chandler.

Parts of the Trempealeau Refuge are already available for hunting, areas south of the Trempealeau River. This proposal would expand on those opportunities.