Influencer from viral wombat video now accused of illegal hunting in Wyoming

The original story by Rachelle Schrute for GearJunkie.

The social media influencer who sparked outrage in Australia for manhandling a baby wombat is now at the center of a new wildlife scandal — this time in Wyoming.

Court records show Samantha Strable – who goes by Sam Jones or @Sam_Strays_Somewhere online – is facing eight misdemeanor wildlife charges in Sublette County. Prosecutors say she falsely claimed to be a Wyoming resident to score cheaper hunting and fishing licenses, then used those tags to hunt big-game animals across the state.

Strable, who is originally from Montana and has ties to Alaska, was booked into the Sublette County Jail on Nov. 21 and released the same day on her own recognizance.

According to a sworn affidavit from Wyoming Game and Fish Warden Jake Miller, the case started with a Stop Poaching tip alleging that Strable kept buying resident licenses even though she no longer lived in Wyoming.

From there, things got detailed.

Investigators pulled:

• Her license history;
• Travel records;
• Social media posts;
• And conducted field interviews.

The affidavit says Strable obtained multiple resident licenses in 2024 and 2025 — including tags for elk, black bear, antelope, and mountain lion — while still holding an Alaska driver’s license and using out-of-state mailing addresses.

Travel documents cited in the case paint a picture of someone mostly on the move:

• Just 35 days in Wyoming in all of 2024;
• Only 12 days in the state through mid-2025.

By law, Wyoming residents must live in the state for at least one full year before claiming residency and cannot be residents of another state during that time.

When a warden interviewed her on Oct. 19, Strable reportedly gave mixed answers about where she actually lives, mentioning Wyoming, Montana, Alaska and seasonal work in Glacier National Park. When pressed for a Wyoming address, she couldn’t provide one, according to the affidavit.

Later, when confronted about the rules, she allegedly said:

“I just never changed my residency.”

A criminal complaint filed in Sublette County Circuit Court lists eight misdemeanor counts:

1–6: False swearing / false statement

Prosecutors say Strable falsely claimed to be a Wyoming resident to obtain:

• A resident elk license – April 3, 2024;
• A resident antelope license – May 1, 2024;
• A resident 12-month fishing license – Sept. 27, 2024;
• A resident mountain lion license – Jan. 11, 2025;
• A resident black bear license – May 5, 2025;
• A resident elk license – Aug. 11, 2025.

Each count carries up to 1 year in jail, fines up to $10,000, and possible loss of license privileges.

Count 7: Taking game without a license

The state alleges she killed an elk on Oct. 5, 2024, in Sublette County without a valid license.

Count 8: Nonresident hunting in wilderness without a guide

Prosecutors also say she hunted that same day in a federal wilderness area without a resident guide or licensed outfitter, which is required for nonresidents under Wyoming law.

Strable is no stranger to controversy.

Earlier this year, she went viral — and not in a good way — after a video showed her picking up a wombat joey in Australia. Wildlife advocates and officials slammed the clip as harmful and irresponsible. She later apologized and left the country.

Wyoming officials say the current charges are not directly related to the wombat incident, but the two scandals have now collided in the public eye.

A summons has been issued for Strable to appear in Sublette County Circuit Court, where she’ll formally face the charges. If convicted, she could be hit with fines, possible jail time, and multi-year hunting and fishing bans.

So far, Wyoming Game and Fish has not commented beyond what’s in the affidavit and charging documents.