When Russell Epperson was a youngster and got into trapping, he had to learn about fooling the wary nose of coyotes, foxes and other predators and varmints. Studying locations, making dirt sets and placing traps was incredibly challenging. Epperson’s curiosity and love of wildlife fueled many adventures in and around the family home. He learned about a deer and predator’s eyesight, hearing and sense of smell, the latter becoming his singular focus.

Epperson began digging into the science of what helps animals, especially deer and canines. The more he learned, the more research he did. Hours and hours of online searches, more reading, more research. He learned about how noses work, how aromas stimulate the inner linings, how signals are sent to the brain that offer clues to the animal about what it’s detecting. These signals may create arousal, cause curiosity, maybe kick in the fight or flight response. Epperson learned more about noses, epithelial cells, nerves, sensory glands and wildlife than he ever imagined.

And then Epperson wanted to figure out how to beat them. How could he flummox a whitetail or coyote? He began doing more research, creating combinations of this and that, testing them in the field. Some worked a little bit, and some failed. Finally, Epperson hit upon a combination that worked. It fooled deer. It fooled coyotes, including a wary old songdog that repeatedly had given him fits and avoided the traps.

Scent Thief was born from those efforts, a product Epperson (top photo) began selling that took off with hunters. It worked. The “No Smell” technology shut down an animal’s ability to discern odors, such as a hunter’s body or other scents. Scent Thief isn’t an attractant or lure. It’s not a cover scent. The formula Epperson developed negates an animal’s ability to smell anything.

Scent Thief was such a hit that Epperson was raided by agents from the United States Department of Justice. More on that in a bit.

How It Works

Epperson’s mad scientist creations eventually resulted in Scent Thief, which in its first incarnation was an odorless fluid that blunted an animal’s ability to smell. 

“Scent Thief is all-natural and will not harm humans, animals, clothes, etc.” Epperson said. “I can tell you that by eliminating an animal’s ability to smell, it makes them become more relaxed. Free of threatening odors, you have a completely different animal.”

The Science of Smell

Scent Thief relaxes an animal's olfactory epithelium so it can no longer detect odors of any kind, including human odor. The epithelium is part of the olfactory system. Odor molecules inhaled into the nose pass across tiny hairs called cilia on the epithelium. Signals are sent via nerves to the olfactory bulb at the base of the brain. 

There, the brain sorts the signals. Some might be faint, creating wonder or confusion. Others might retrieve a memory with the force of a hammer. In humans, we might get a whiff of fresh cut grass and think of mowing yards as a teen. Cologne or perfume might recall an old flame. All kinds of aromas evoke memories or, perhaps, help spark new ones. Animals have similar experiences, from your pet dog snuffling around the yard for a squirrel to a whitetail standing still after getting a shot of Stinky Hunter, cover scent, pheromones or anything else.

Scent Thief’s all-natural ingredients flood and relax an animal’s olfactory epithelium. When used correctly and throughout the hunt, it creates a confusing barrier that animals can’t overcome.

“You will see things like them walking up to you and smelling your boots or sniffing your ear,” Epperson said. “I am talking from personal experience over the years, and yes, so close you could touch them. I have had so many things happen that normally would not by simply reapplying Scent Thief and letting it do the rest.”

Epperson’s key word in that last sentence might have been overlooked, but it’s important. Reapplying the product is critical.

“Scent Thief is a product you hunt with — not prep with,” he explained. “You do have to reapply it every 30 minutes to an hour. Remember, the more they get of Scent Thief, the less they smell. This is the magic bullet. We here at Scent Thief have a mission to bring a whole new level of experience to the hunting and trapping world.”

That DOJ Raid

Russell Epperson had no idea what was happening. Agents with the U.S. Department of Justice were taking files, boxes of stuff, all his work regarding Scent Thief. They had paperwork, but it was all a blur. No one would tell him much of anything about why they were there or what they wanted. Epperson was scared, mad, worried, confused and probably three or four other emotions.

Finally, after several months, he was able to get some information. The upshot? The product Epperson had created was too good. It worked too well. Drug-sniffing dogs could not detect drugs. It threw up roadblocks in other similar situations. The DOJ wanted him to modify the formula to include something that could be smelled. He put up a mild fuss — creators don’t like their masterpieces muddled by others — but in the end there was no middle ground. Add something with an aroma or don’t sell it.

He did, and Scent Thief has again taken off like a Space-X rocket. Whitetail hunters primarily use it through all seasons. If you’re selling it in your store, don’t push it just when it’s hot or in the rut. It’s a season-long product. Scent Thief also is great for trappers and can be displayed by any trapping products.

“Trappers need to mask their scent when preparing and setting traps,” Epperson said. “It is a must to increase the catch 100 percent. Scent Thief is a go-to every time you set a trap, is simple to use and has 100 percent results. The best thing is to apply it to yourself and the trap. You’ll see fewer dig-ups and more catches even minutes after setting the trap, and not days later after waiting for your human odors to dissipate.”

Passing the Test

Many years ago, door-to-door vacuum cleaner salesmen supposedly dumped a bag of dirt or ashes on the floor in front of the aghast lady of the house. Then, proving the product worked, the vacuum being touted would easily and quickly clean up the mess.

We’ve all been to consumer shows where knives on display have sawed through aluminum cans before easily slicing a tomato. Hand saws for bowhunters have ground through numerous limbs at the ATA, SHOT, SCI and other outdoor shows. Companies with masking scents, lures and attractants have offered a whiff or spray for everything from red fox cover scent to Come Hither, Big Buck. It’s one of the rare instances when men agree when someone says, “Hey, smell this.”

With Scent Thief, the process is reversed. Your customers who may be skeptical can get confirmation with a simple test. Epperson said at shows and elsewhere, he has offered numerous skeptics the chance to get a whiff of something stinky. After a snort of a spray of Scent Thief, they’re unable to detect the offending odor.

“The greatest thing about Scent Thief is we can prove the product does actually work,” he said. “By doing a smell test, it shows the customer that without a doubt the product is doing its job. It is the only product in its category that you can do this with. Scent Thief is a full product line. All our products have the No Smell Technology, and with directed use, these products will increase the opportunities of our hunters to be successful.”

Epperson’s early curiosity was so great that his town librarian told his mother that he’d do something special one day. Trapping and hunting buddies encouraged him to keep doing whatever he was doing. His confidence, albeit a bit shaken by the DOJ inquiry, never wavered. Today, Epperson has full confidence in Scent Thief and how it can help hunters and trappers.

“It is the magic bullet,” he said. “It does have an aroma, and most hunters believe if it smells, then the animal can smell it. They are correct. But that is what you want — the animal to smell it — because the more they smell the Scent Thief, then the more it relaxes their epithelium. When that happens, it eliminates their ability to smell, and that makes it magic.”

Retailers interested in Scent Thief may visit www.ScentThief.com or contact Russell Epperson at 1-800-881-5605.