A social media hunting influencer already notorious for a viral wildlife controversy in Australia, is now facing a three-day criminal trial in Wyoming next month over allegations she repeatedly lied about her state residency to obtain discounted hunting and fishing licenses.
Samantha Strable, 25, who posts online as Sam Jones or Sam_Strays_Somewhere, was booked into the Sublette County Jail back in November, and was charged with eight misdemeanors. She was released the same day on her own recognizance.
According to court documents and an investigation by Wyoming Game and Fish Department Warden Jake Miller, Strable is accused of six counts of false swearing for claiming Wyoming residency on license applications despite living primarily out of state. Additional charges include taking wildlife without a proper license and hunting in a wilderness area as a non-resident without a required guide.
Wyoming law requires hunters to live in the state for at least one year and limits absences to no more than 180 days per year to qualify for resident tags, which are significantly cheaper than non-resident ones. Investigators say Strable listed a Pinedale address but spent minimal time in Wyoming (like about a week) while primarily residing in Great Falls, Montana, and traveling elsewhere, including Australia.
Strable with one of her kills | Facebook
Using those allegedly fraudulent resident tags, she is said to have hunted elk, antelope, black bear, and mountain lion. An anonymous tip to wildlife authorities, citing her own social media posts, triggered the probe that ended up blowing this thing wide open.
Our fearless influencer first gained widespread notoriety in March of 2025 after posting a video of herself in Australia picking up a baby wombat (joey) from the side of a road. The footage showed the distressed mother chasing after her as she ran with the joey, sparking outrage across Australia, drawing condemnation from then-Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and death threats that forced her to haul ass back to the US.
And while Strable has continually denied the Wyoming charges, the case is now scheduled for a three-day trial in Sublette County Circuit Court in Pinedale in June 2026, according to recent reports.
If convicted, she could face up to one year in jail and fines as high as $10,000 per false swearing count, along with possible hunting license suspension and additional penalties on the wildlife violation charges.
