Influencer “Mr. Adventure” Accused of Faking Yukon Residency, Killing Bears Illegally
A social media influencer who calls himself “Mr. Adventure” has been accused of illegally killing three bears in the Yukon. Court documents released last week allege that Tristan James Hamm lied to obtain his Yukon resident hunting license and then killed several bears in the province illegally, according to CBC News. Hamm now faces 19 charges for breaking both federal and territorial wildlife laws.
The 28-year-old influencer and CEO of Revived Outdoors has built an audience of more than 2 million followers on Instagram by posting about his exploits in the outdoors. Most of those posts feature Hamm rock-climbing, boxing, skydiving, and engaging in other extreme sports besides hunting. He made his account private, however, shortly after the recent poaching allegations went public.
The charges filed against Hamm stem from a trip he took to the Yukon in May. Court documents allege that he illegally killed two black bears—one on Bove Island and the other at Dry Creek—on May 17 and 19. He’s also been accused of illegally killing a grizzly bear near Kluane Lake on May 21.
Hamm faces additional charges related to exporting the bears’ remains (presumably the hides and skulls) outside the country, and for providing false or misleading information to obtain a Yukon resident hunting license. It’s unclear if Hamm broke additional laws when harvesting any of the three bears he killed in May.
President of the Yukon Fish and Game Association Bryce Bekar told CBC that he was troubled by the charges filed against Hamm—particularly the allegation that he lied to get a resident hunting license.
“We’re kinda lost for words. We all understand how difficult it is to get a license and become registered with the Yukon Department of Environment,” Bekar told the Canadian outlet. “It just doesn’t look good for all of us that are really trying to do the best we can and promote ethical and responsible harvesting.”
In a separate statement he emailed to CBC, Hamm emphasized his “unwavering commitment to responsible and respectful engagement with the natural world,” and said he “[looked] forward to this matter being resolved appropriately in court.”
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According to Hamm’s Facebook profile, the self-described “adventure connoisseur” lives in Whitehorse, Yukon, but is originally from Manitoba. A local newspaper article from 2021 refers to Haam as a “former Winkler resident.” The city lies southwest of Winnipeg, and it’s a roughly 2,080-mile drive from Winkler to Whitehorse.
Hamm was not taken into custody, and his case in Yukon territorial court is slated for January, according to the CBC. In his emailed statement, Hamm added that he was “deeply saddened” by the charges brought against him, but that he was advised by his lawyers not to discuss the specifics of the situation.
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Source: https://www.outdoorlife.com/conservation/mr-adventure-accused-poaching-bears-yukon/
