First Look: Mathews NO CAM HTR

November 06, 2014 By Christian Berg

Mathews unveiled its 2015 bow lineup Wednesday, and the flagship NO CAM HTR was in my hands within hours.

In short, the NO CAM HTR is — hands down — the smoothest-drawing hunting bow I've ever shot, extremely stable on target and quiet upon release.

Here's why:

No Cams?

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The key to this bow's performance is all-new NO CAM ST Technology, which uses two circular, concentric string tracks that allow the bowstring to travel at a constant distance from the center of rotation throughout the shot cycle. The first time you look at the NO CAM HTR, you will immediately notice the round wheels riding on the top and bottom axles, along with the two interior wheels for the cables.

In short, there are no traditional cams on this bow, which eliminates the "camming" action you feel when the bowstring transitions from rounded to flat areas. The end result is an extremely smooth draw with literally no discernible transitions; getting the string from brace height to full draw is nearly effortless.

Mathews says NO CAM ST Technology also produces straight, level nock travel for superior accuracy and is extremely efficient, which means that more energy is transferred to the arrow upon release, leaving less leftover energy to create bow noise and vibration.

Other Features

After the NO CAM ST Technology, the next thing you'll notice on the NO CAM HTR is a long, lightly reflexed riser that creates the impression of a rig that is longer than the actual 32-inch axle-to-axle length. Mathews has stayed with its popular GeoGrid riser design here, with the addition of two larger cutouts adjacent to each limb pocket. The riser also has twin Harmonic Stabilizers built in to further combat noise and vibration.

The long riser allows Mathews to use short, rigid quad limbs that are only about a foot long. The limbs reach a position well beyond parallel at full draw, and the configuration of the system creates a very narrow front-to-back profile that makes this bow easy to maneuver.

Finally, the NO CAM HTR riser is home to Mathews' Reverse Assist Roller Guard, which reduced cable friction during the draw and shot, Dead End String Stop to eliminate post-shot string oscillation and noise, and the Focus Grip for optimal hand placement and minimal torque.

The NO CAM HTR weighs 4.3 pounds, has a 6 5/8-inch brace height and can accommodate draw lengths from 24-30 inches, in half-inch increments. It's available in peak draw weights of 50, 60 or 70 pounds and has an adjustable system letoff of 65, 75 or 85 percent. The bow's IBO speed ratings are 330 fps at 65 percent letoff, 325 fps at 75 percent letoff and 321 fps at 85 percent letoff.

As I mentioned at the outset, the most notable feature about the NO CAM HTR, from a shootability standpoint, is the super-smooth draw cycle. This is not the fastest hunting bow on the market, but you will not struggle to draw it — a feature that will be appreciated by archers with shoulder issues or anyone who prefers smoothness over speed.

After the smooth draw, I'd rank the rock-solid back wall on the NO CAM HTR as my second-favorite aspect. The string comes to a screeching halt at full draw thanks to the Mathews Rock Mods Draw Modules that also allow for letoff customization.

Once anchored at full draw, I find the NO CAM HTR very stable on target, a feature I believe is a result of the long riser and short limbs. I personally prefer a very narrow grip on my bows, so I find the Focus Grip quite comfortable. Upon release, I feel virtually no vibration and only a slight "bump" in my hand. Shot noise is minimal.

Simply by switching my existing sight, rest and stabilizer over from my Creed XS, I was able to set up the NO CAM HTR in about 30 minutes and was shooting two-inch groups at 20 yards in short order. Accuracy was similar at 30 and 40 yards, and because the speeds of the two bows are very similar, I was able to shoot at longer ranges without even adjusting the pin gaps on my sight.

There is no doubt the new NO CAM ST Technology will generate most of the attention for this bow, but it has plenty of other features that should make it a more than capable performer no matter your choice of bowhunting quarry.

Buck Bomb | Ambush

Ambush from Buck Bomb boasts a full 6.65 ounces of premium deer urine, which is ideal for pre-rut and rut hunting. Ambush is designed to not only draw in bucks, but does as well, which in turn draws in bucks (circle-of-life hakuna matata stuff here). Capable of traveling up to 1/4 of a mile, Ambush is ideal for drawing in bucks well out of visual range. To further enhance your setup, consider using Buck Bomb Doe In Estrus for a one-two punch that will tickle the nostrils of all passing deer. Price: $12.99

Code Blue | Platinum Standing Estrous

Platinum Standing Estrous scent from Code Blue is collected at the precise time a buck stands to breed a doe. This, as you can probably guess, leads to a limited supply and a hefty price tag of $40 for a 1.5-ounce bottle. This may seem crazy, but having used truly fresh doe urine on a few occasions I can say it is extremely effective at drawing in and holding bucks. My first experience occurred during November in Illinois and the doe urine I used was so fresh, it was absolutely pungent each time I sprayed it. The bucks went nuts in a way I had never previously witnessed in my 20 years of bowhunting. Platinum Standing Estrous promises similar results, which is something I can't wait to witness for myself. Price: $39.99

Conquest | Rutting Buck In A Stick

Should you groggily wake up after a week of dark-to-dark sits only to accidentally roll Rutting Buck In A Stick on your armpits, you better walk through the woods very carefully and be ready to bust out your best MMA moves should a buck catch a whiff of you. This scent is collected from mature bucks during the rut while testosterone levels are at their peak. Use with decoys or on mock scrapes to tick off other mature bucks. Aside from the potential for accidental underarm usage, the design of Rutting Buck In A Stick allows for no-mess usage. If this doesn't seem like a big deal then you have never spilled four ounces of estrus scent on your truck seat like I have. Price: $19.99

Hunter's Specialties | 2 Hot Does Estrus Scent

Why settle for one doe when you can have two? That's the thought process behind Hunter's Specialties new 2 Hot Does Estrus Scent, which is collected from two peak-estrus does and then blended. This blend convinces bucks they are about to live out rock-star-style fantasies and raises their territorial ire which in turn translates to more daylight movement. Each contains a three-ounce bottle with four Spike Wicks. Price: $12.99

Hunter's Specialties | Premium 180 Day Estrus

Collected during whitetail does' peak estrus cycle, each 3-ounce bottle of Premium 180 Day Estrus is designed to encourage repeat visits and trigger territorial competition. Using science that you'd not expect in a bottle of deer pee, Hunter's Specialties employs Stabilization Technology to ensure every bottle of 180 is chock-full of elevated levels of doe estrus pheromones. Each contains four Spike Wicks for easy scent dispersal. Price: $11.99

Tink's | No-Freeze #69 Doe-In-Rut Buck Lure

A few years ago a good buddy and I awoke in whitetail camp in central Nebraska. A cold front had blown in overnight and our tents were covered in a thick layer of frost. Our five-gallon water jug was a solid block of ice. And of course, the box of assorted deer scents I packed along was frozen solid. Being a Minnesota resident, I'm familiar with brutal cold and its effects on doe pee. Thankfully, Tink's has released the No-Freeze #69 Doe-In-Rut Buck Lure, which utilizes an odorless additive to keep the scent from freezing - a simple solution to a common problem. Price: $13.49

Tink's | Hot Shot #1 Doe-P

The minds behind Tink's products knew there was a better way to disperse scent than typical aerosol cans. Their solution involves an internal bag that separates the scent from the pressurizing agent, meaning each Hot Shot gives you the chance to spray a contaminant-free scent at any angle. During the rut, consider the #1 Doe-P or #69 Doe-In-Rut Mist for all of your estrus scent needs. Each Hot Shot contains three ounces of 100 percent pure urine and is without doubt one of the easiest products to use in the scents and lures category. On top of that, after using Hot Shots extensively, I am confident in saying that it's hard to find any doe urine product that smells as strongly as Hot Shot does due to how it mists the scent for maximum coverage. Price: $12.99

Wildgame Innovations | Wild Estrus Bomb

It's getting harder and harder to find a deer hunting product that is not contained in the comprehensive lineup from Wildgame Innovations. One of their latest, the Wild Estrus Bomb, could be a rut-hunters best friend. Containing five ounces of 100 percent pure whitetail deer urine, each Estrus Bomb utilizes a proprietary UV additive and is capable of burst spraying, or if you'd really like to convince passing bucks that there is something crazy going on at your stand site — continuous spray. Price: $9.99

Wildlife Research Center | Active-Scrape Golden Scrape Value Pack

My personal preference for hunting scrapes is mid-October, but there is also nothing I love more than a downpour in November to wash scent off of scrapes. Even when bucks are cruising they'll stop to freshen their scrapes after a good soaking. During these times I use a combination of estrus scent and scrape-specific scent like Wildlife Research Center's Active-Scrape or Golden Scrape. Fortunately, both of these products are now available in a value pack that provides four ounces of each, which should be enough to cover all of your scrape-hunting activity from the chase to peak breeding. Price: $19.99

Wildlife Research Center | Golden Estrus Xtreme

Golden Estrus scent from Wildlife Research Center has contributed to countless gutpiles over the years, and they've now amped it up to the Xtreme. This intensified scent contains both premium doe urine and estrus secretions, which means it smells stronger and has a farther reach than the original Golden Estrus. Choose between either a one- or four-ounce bottle of Golden Estrus Xtreme and utilize any of Wildlife Research Centers scent wicks and drag systems to ensure all passing bucks get a snootful. Price: $6.84 (1 ounce); $22.50 (4 ounce)