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Scent Thief: A Different Approach to Odor Control

By preventing animals from detecting odors, the odds of bowhunting success will drastically increase.

Scent Thief: A Different Approach to Odor Control
Scent Thief works by relaxing the olfactory epithelium, tissue that lines the nasal cavity, to prevent deer and other game from detecting odors. To use, spray it on your hunting clothes, boots, pack and other equipment as you get ready to head into your hunting location. (Photo courtesy of Scent Thief)

As bowhunters, we need to be close to our quarry for a reasonable chance at success. And while you may may get away with a deer or elk hearing you, or possibly even catching a glimpse of your movement, and still get a shot, if it picks up your scent, it’s usually game over. That’s why so many companies have focused on developing products that either mask or transform scent molecules or break down the bacteria that cause human odors.

Scent Thief, on the other hand, has taken a different approach. The company focuses on neutralizing game animals’ sense of smell — their primary defense mechanism — by relaxing the olfactory epithelium, tissue that lines the nasal cavity, to prevent them from detecting any odors.

During the 2024 Archery Trade Association show, Scent Thief conducted a simple test with attendees to highlight its products’ effectiveness, something they call “No Smell Technology.” In a small baggie they placed a pungent trapping-bait mixture (they didn’t disclose the bag’s contents ahead of time), and after applying Scent Thief spray, no one — myself included — was able to determine what exactly they were smelling.

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For maximum effectiveness, the company recommends you reapply Scent Thief every 60-90 minutes. (Photo courtesy of Scent Thief)

“Once Scent Thief enters the nose, the vapors bind to the scent receptors in the nasal epithelium, temporarily numbing them,” said Scent Thief Director of Operations Jacob Carpenter. “The olfactory nerve then cannot transmit any recognized smell to the brain. So, when that happens, our brains, and the brains of any mammal that comes in contact with Scent Thief, are trying to connect the sensation of that numbing effect to a previous memory.

“For me, I think it smells like Vicks VapoRub, but we have many people that think it smells like pine, dirt, cotton candy, gasoline and a lot of other random smells. For an animal, we don't know what they associate it with, but in all of our studies, it seems to have a calming/relaxing effect on wildlife.”

To use Scent Thief, you simply spray it on your hunting clothes, boots, pack and other equipment as you get ready to head into your hunting location. For maximum effectiveness, the company recommends you then reapply every 60-90 minutes. It also encourages you to spray it on any areas that might pick up your scent, like the base of the tree you’re climbing, the area immediately around your blind and even the vegetation every 100 yards or so as you walk in/out of the woods. Spraying leaves and branches on the downwind side of your hunting spot, or hanging one of the company’s Wafers in a tree or next to your blind on the downwind side, is also an excellent idea to provide an additional layer of protection.

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Scent Thief Combo Pack

“Because our patented formula is water-based, when it evaporates there is no residue left behind,” Carpenter explained. “As Scent Thief evaporates, the vapors are released into the air and the goal is for your target animal to ‘smell’ Scent Thief. In order for Scent Thief to work, those vapors have to be present and because our products work through their evaporation, that's why it's extremely important to reapply.”

Scent Thief is available in a Combo Pack ($26.99) that includes a 12-ounce bottle of spray and 32-ounce refill jug, the aforementioned Wafers ($5.99 each) that you can use to help create a “No Smell” zone and other options. For more information or to purchase, visit scentthief.com.




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