Idaho Gov. Butch Otter formally ended Idaho's management of wolves Monday.

Otter told Interior Secretary Ken Salazar Idaho no longer will act as the federal government's "designated agent" for managing "your wolves" in the wake of a federal court decision returning the predator to the Endangered Species list.

Otter directed the Idaho Fish and Game Commission to immediately refocus its efforts on protecting Idaho's deer, elk and moose. The Idaho Department of Fish and Game will seek additional flexibility kill wolves, Otter said "so we can exercise our sovereign right to protect our wildlife."

"This directive preserves an individual's right to kill a wolf in self defense or in the defense of another person," he wrote in a letter to Salazar. "It does not jeopardize the existing flexibility landowners and (ranchers) have to protect their livestock and pets from wolves."

Interior officials said they could not meet Otter's primary request, to resume sport hunting because of the judge's decision to return wolves to the endangered species list.

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