Hunting Influencer Samantha Strable Faces New Charges in Wyoming After Wombat Incident

New Allegations Against Hunting Influencer

• 🎯 Samantha Strable, an influencer known for her hunting lifestyle, is facing new legal trouble in Wyoming, following international outrage over a previous incident in Australia.
• 🇦🇺 Strable previously gained notoriety for taking a baby wombat from its mother for a selfie, an act that led to widespread condemnation and calls for her to be barred from Australia.
• 💡 An anonymous tip prompted an investigation into Strable's residency status in Wyoming, leading to accusations of lying to obtain hunting licenses.

Residency Fraud Charges in Wyoming

• ⚖️ Strable is charged with six misdemeanors for allegedly making false statements about being a Wyoming resident when procuring licenses for elk, black bear, mountain lion, fishing, and antelope.
• 🗓️ Court records indicate she faces charges for false swearing, taking wildlife without a license, and hunting without a guide in a wilderness area.
• 🏠 While she previously resided in Wyoming, the state requires individuals to be present for more than 180 days annually to maintain residency; court documents claim she now lives in Great Falls, Montana.

Details of the Allegations

• 🦌 Investigators allege Strable made false statements on multiple dates in 2024 and 2025 to obtain resident hunting and fishing licenses.
• 🐻 She is also accused of killing an elk without a license during a closed season and hunting big trophy game without a licensed guide.
• 🗣️ During an interview, Strable reportedly stated her residency was "tricky" due to recent travel, and an investigator determined she had only been in Wyoming for 7 days in 2025.

Incentives for Residency Fraud

• 💰 A criminal defense attorney explains that claiming Wyoming residency can offer benefits such as preference for certain tags and hunting areas and slightly lower license costs compared to non-residents.
• 🎟️ The state uses a lottery system for prestigious tags, and claiming residency can increase the chances of obtaining them.
• 🐻‍❄️ For example, Strable was allegedly issued an in-state tag for a grizzly bear, which might have been harder to obtain as an out-of-state resident.

Potential Penalties and Legal Ramifications

• 🚨 Strable faces significant fines, potential jail time, and long-term suspension of hunting, fishing, and trapping privileges, which can be reciprocated in 48 states.
• 🚫 A mandatory minimum suspension of 5 years is possible, and Wyoming takes game and fish violations very seriously, sometimes resulting in jail time of 30-60 days or more.
• 📈 The prosecution may aim to make an example of Strable, given her influencer status and past international incident, to deter others from violating hunting regulations.