Scent Thief is gaining notice thanks to an effective method of helping hunters better manage their scent and other odors while in the stand. Whether they’re pursuing big game or predators, users are discovering Scent Thief’s benefits both on the ground or high in a treestand.

To give retailers an insider’s view, Archery Business talked with Jay Carpenter of Scent Thief about the company and its future.

 

AB: For retailers who may not be familiar with Scent Thief, tell us a little bit about the company and its background.

JC: Scent Thief has offices in Overland Park, Kansas, and Butler, Missouri. In the early stages of development, Scent Thief was created for trapping. Through years of testing, inventor Russell Epperson discovered the best way to keep animals from smelling you was not by trying to cover up or remove the odor from the human body, but by targeting the animal’s scent receptors. Once Russell saw how effective Scent Thief was at eliminating an animal’s ability to smell, he knew it could be used for all areas of hunting and trapping. Scent Thief is now a proven, patented product with a loyal customer base. We are in our third year of selling to retailers.

AB: Scent Thief is not “a bowhunting product” or pigeonholed to one type of hunting, right? Although great for bowhunters, of course, hunters pursuing everything from predators to big game can benefit from it?

JC: Scent Thief is effective on all animals. We have customers who use it for archery, muzzleloading and rifle hunting. Across the board, hunters use our product because it allows them to hunt a stand on any wind.

 

AB: How does Scent Thief work?

JC: Scent Thief works by temporarily relaxing the animal’s nasal epithelium. It is an all-natural, all-organic formula and can be applied to your clothing, skin, equipment and surrounding area. You want to re-apply every two to three hours, more in extreme heat or wind. As you spray, you create a scent cone area around your hunting area. The product enters the animal’s nose and temporarily relaxes the area of the nose responsible for smell. Once the animal gets Scent Thief in their nose, they won’t smell anything else. As soon as the animal leaves that scent cone, its sense of smell will return almost immediately. We want you to hunt bad winds. Scent Thief works with the wind, carrying it to the animal’s nose. You want them to smell it, get it in their nose, and then you’ll see them become more relaxed because you’ve removed the sense of any threatening odors.

 

AB: I’m a dealer: Why should I carry your products?

JC: Scent Thief is an excellent line for dealers to carry because it is an innovative, proven and patented product. We’ve done the testing, and the science is confirmed. Our online sales this year (2020) are up more than 500%, and we’d like to share that success with our dealers. We think next year’s (2021) sales will surpass what we’ve done this year by a pretty significant margin. Our marketing team has put together an impressive branding concept. We are going to be very aggressive in our future marketing campaigns to help dealers move product.

AB: Hunters see a ton of new products each year at the ATA and SHOT shows along with other events. How does Scent Thief set itself apart from its competitors?

JC: Scent Thief is the only product that shuts down an animal’s ability to smell. It is not a cover scent, nor does it rely on confusing the animal with overpowering scents. Our product doesn’t try to eat away human odor or remove odor from the human body. Scent Thief organically stops the animal from smelling any threatening odors. There’s nothing else in the industry that uses that kind of science to do so.

 

AB: Not just with customers, but how does Scent Thief stand out to retailers? Do you offer special pricing, deals or other programs?

JC: We want all of our partners to succeed. We offer very competitive pricing and programs for all sizes of retailers. We can work with retailers to develop a plan to make their businesses as successful as possible.

 

AB: After such a challenging year, are retailers responding favorably now with, hopefully, better things in store for the future?

JC: We have had an outstanding year and have been able to handle the increase in business. We are really excited about the future because we have had discussions with many retailers who could not meet with us due to COVID restrictions, who plan on carrying Scent Thief (in 2021).

AB: What can dealers expect from Scent Thief over the next few years?

JC: Scent Thief is working on new products every day. In the future, you will see deodorant, wipes, weekend and long-trip hunting packs, as well as concentrated formula packets.

 

AB: Anything else you’d like to add about Scent Thief that dealers should know?

JC: Scent Thief prides itself on customer service and we value relationships. You will always be able to get a hold of Russell, Kristin or me no matter how big Scent Thief gets!