With a price of around $100, the Bounty Hunter Tracker IV is one of the best affordable metal detectors on the market. It has many features that even more expensive models do not have and offers a great value for your money. Below, we offer some valuable information on the features of several metal detectors so you can choose the detector on the market for your needs.
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Below, take a brief moment compare the Bounty Hunter Tracker IV to other great metal detectors that are worthy of your consideration:
Best Metal Detector Reviews 1. Bounty Hunter TK4 Tracker IV Metal Detector. Bounty Hunter TK4 Tracker IV Metal Detector has been a long-time favorite among entry-level metal detectors because of its amazing out-of-the-box usage capabilities. Product Highlights. Bounty Hunter is a well-known and reputable metal detector company. The Tracker IV is a user-friendly instrument, requiring only a minimum of operator skill, yet delivering effective performance over a wide range of conditions and applications. Streamlined in appearance, with only two operating knobs and a mode selection switch, the Tracker IV has eliminated the two most difficult aspects of metal detector. Feb 01, 2017 T he Bounty Hunter Tracker IV is a great entry level machine for both children and adults. It is a budget-friendly, basic metal detector that will find all types of metal in the ground including gold and silver. With its adjustable height and weight of only a few pounds, kids of all ages can use this machine. Bounty Hunter Tracker Iv User Manual The Tracker IV is a fun and easy to use metal detector, that requires minimal user experience. Streamlined in appearance, the Bounty Hunter Tracker IV Metal Detector automates tuning and ground balancing and features 2 operating knobs and a mode. BOUNTY HUNTER METAL DETECTOR MANUALS. Bounty Hunter TK4 Tracker IV Manual: There is no better place to learn about a metal detector than from it’s own manufacturer. It provides details on the Bounty Hunter TK4 Tracker IV and gives some good basics on metal detecting. This is the manual from Bounty Hunter’s website (PDF file).
The Bounty Hunter® Tracker IV is a user friendly metal detector that requires minimum operating skill and delivers effective performance in various conditions. The all-metals mode detects many types of metals such as iron and aluminum to gold and silver. I ordered the metal detector for my wife's January birthday. After reviewing several models I decided on Bounty Hunter Tracker IV. I called several sporting goods and department stores only to find out it was the one detector they stocked but were out of.
$ = $99 and below | $$ = $100 to $199 | $$$ = $200 and up
Photo | Model | Weight | Price | Specialty |
---|---|---|---|---|
Bounty Hunter Tracker IV | 4.2 lbs | $ | 8” Waterproof Coil | |
Bounty Hunter Tracker II | 3 lbs. | $ | 2-Tone Target ID | |
Bounty Hunter QSI Quick Silver | 4 lbs. | $$ | 8” Waterproof Coil | |
Bounty Hunter SS2 Sharpshooter II | 4 lbs. | $$ | 8' Concentric Coil | |
Bounty Hunter Discovery 1100 | 2.5 lbs. | $$ | Waterproof Coil | |
Garrett Ace 250 | 2.7 lbs | $$$ | 6.5 x 9' ACE coil | |
Fisher F2 | 2.6 lbs. | $$ | 8' Concentric Coil |
Now, before you start your search for a new metal detector, ask yourself the following questions so you’ll get the perfect machine for what you want to do.
- What do you want to look for? Are you searching for only coins? Jewelry? Or are you excited to find anything when you are starting out?
- Where do you plan on searching? If you are planning to hunt on a beach or near water, you need to be sure your metal detector is water-proof, not just weather proof. Anyone who is planning to treasure hunt as they dive needs to purchase a detector that is submersible to certain depths.
- Do you like fancy gadgets or want a simple model that you can learn easily?
- Are you comfortable changing settings or would you rather have a detector that does many of the settings automatically?
- How important are warranties? Will a one-year warranty be okay or do you only want one with a lifetime warranty?
With so many metal detectors on the market, it’s hard to choose just one. Our information will help you make an educated choice so you can purchase your metal detector with confidence and get ready to search.
The Bounty Hunter TK4 is one of the most popular metal detectors on the market because it is so affordable and easy to use. This model is a “turn on and go,” model which means it is so easy, you can simply turn on the machine and use it immediately. You won’t need to spend a lot of time reading a manual or watching a DVD to know how to use it. All you need to do is set the discrimination and sensitivity levels and you are ready to start treasure hunting. Often, it is sold for a little less than $100.
It features automatic ground balancing and only weighs 2.9 pounds. A lightweight machine is very important, as even three pounds can get heavy after several hours of use. Two knobs are all you need to use to change your discrimination and sensitivity levels. The Bounty Hunter Tracker IV also has three different modes – full discrimination, all metals or tone discrimination – so you will really hear a tone for what you are looking for. This is really important if you don’t want to keep digging up trash.
Below, please take a look at some of our favorite metal detectors currently available on the market:
Tracker IV vs Bounty Hunter Quicksilver
The Bounty Hunter Quicksilver is another turn on and go metal detector. It only has a few settings that you need to change and you are ready to start searching. It only weighs 2.8 pounds and is designed for comfort. The display is easy to use with just a few buttons for you to learn. At a price of a little $100, it is one that you can use to learn and then upgrade later.
The Quicksilver does have a few negative things to consider. It cannot detect much deeper than four inches and doesn’t work well in soil that is highly mineralized. It also doesn’t have as many features as some of the other metal detectors on the market. The Quicksilver is marketed as a detector for beginners, but you will probably find out quickly that it doesn’t have all of the features you want.
Tracker IV vs Bounty Hunter Discovery 1100
The Bounty Hunter Discovery 1100 is one of the lightest metal detectors (2.5 pounds) you can purchase. It has a 7” water-proof coil that can be easily changed for a larger one. Automatic ground balancing is another important feature of this metal detector and it is designed as a turn on and go model. You can simply take it from the box and start searching for treasures in your backyard.
This detector has an easy to read LCD display. It features a push button discrimination control and a simple depth control so you can see how deep the object is. Another item is the three segment digital target ID system. You can usually find a Bounty Hunter Discovery 1100 for around $150.
Tracker IV vs Garrett Ace 250
The Garrett Ace 250 is an awesome metal detector. It has a 6.5” by 9” coil that is water proof and can be easily changed for different sizes. The control box has everything within easy reach of your fingers and the entire machine was designed with your comfort in mind. It has an external speaker or you can use headphones with it. This unit usually sells for around $250 but the features it has are often only seen on metal detectors in a much higher range.
It has a huge LCD screen, three push pads and three adjustable pads. It is really easy to operate and has many controls that you may think you won’t need, but you will after you learn to operate the detector. This detector has a 12 notch discrimination so you can eliminate trash signals. It also has an all metal non-motion pinpoint ability so you can find the exact location of your treasure. It even has eight levels of sensitivity and three tone target ID. It is simple for you to choose what you want to find – jewelry, coins, customize, all metals and relics.
Tracker IV vs Fisher F2
Priced at around $200, the Fisher F2 metal detector is a model that is packed with features you will want in your metal detector. It comes with a standard 8” coil that is water proof so you can easily use this detector on the beach. You can also change the coil whenever you need.
One of the best features of the Fisher F2 is the huge LCD display that will show you what the object is and how deep you will have to dig to find it. All of the controls are touch pad, but they are easy to learn how to use. This is another option for anyone who wants a turn on and go metal detecting. This detector offers both visual and audio signals so you won’t miss anything you scan over. You can also pinpoint the exact location of your object, but the detector must be set in the discrimination mode.
Each of these metal detectors offers options that you will want in your new detector. For the price, the Fisher F2 and the Garrett Ace 250 will give you more features that you might find you need after you have hunted several times. The discrimination feature is very important to anyone who doesn’t want to spend his or her time digging trash at every tone.
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The nob on the left of the control box is your on/off and sensitivity adjustment.
The nob on the right is your discrimination. The switch just below this is your mode selection.
You also have an analog meter in the center that measures signal strength when over a target.
Inside this meter, you’ll also see a low battery indicator. When it’s red, it's time to replace the batteries.
That’s it, three controls and a meter. Easy to learn, easy to use!
Now let’s dive into what each of these controls means in real terms.
Sensitivity Adjustment
First, we’ll start with the on/off and sensitivity nob.
Since the on/off part is pretty self-explanatory, I’ll skip ahead to sensitivity.
So what is sensitivity?
Put simply, sensitivity is the depth at which the detector will return an audio signal.
Naturally, you’ll want to turn your sensitivity up as high as possible. So why does it give you the option to adjust?
To answer that, we must first understand the other benefit to higher sensitivity - the ability to detector smaller objects.
While this is perfect for things like tiny earrings or gold nuggets, it will also detect particles of iron in your soil and salt in sand.
So the higher your sensitivity, the more prone you are to falsing from ground minerals like iron and salt.
How do you combat that?
Before starting your hunt, turn on the machine and set your sensitivity all the way up.
Hold the coil flat on the ground you are about to detect.
If you start getting chatter/falsing on the machine, slowly reduce your sensitivity until you reach a level where you don't hear anything.
Obviously, do this on a piece of ground you know has no metal targets in it.
Sound complicated? I assure you it’s not. Just remember, you can hunt with as much or as little sensitivity as you want.
But to get the most bang for your buck, I recommend you use as much as possible without falsing.
Discrimination
The discrimination nob allows you to ignore unwanted metal types commonly found in trash items like iron, lead, and steel.
This is a critical feature to have if, for example, you’re coin hunting in a trashy park or beach.
You don’t want to spend all day digging up trash. The discrimination will allow you only to dig the good stuff.
The low end of the discrimination represents metal with low conductivity like the ones mentioned above (iron, lead, steel).
Middle of the road metals would be gold, nickel, and brass.
At the top end, you have the most conductive metals like silver, copper, and zinc. This is where most coins will hit (unless they are nickels or gold coins).
When you first start using the Tracker IV, the only real way to know where individual targets will hit on the discrimination scale is to create a ‘test garden’.
Get some of the more frequent targets you expect/want to find, then go outside and throw them on the ground.
Take your detector and hover over each target while simultaneously moving the discrimination dial.
If you’re doing coin hunting, I recommend you take a modern nickel since this will be the least conductive coin target.
Start with the discrimination all the way down, sweep your coil over the nickel and slowly move the discrimination knob clockwise until you hear the beep of the nickel.
When you hear that beep, that's the level you want to be set at.
To be certain you’ll get every nickel (no matter how crusty), dial back your discrimination just the slightest hair from what you just set it at.
Just to be clear, you don’t have to use the discrimination feature if you don't want. It's just a great feature to have when hunting for specific targets like coins.
Search Modes
If you didn’t want to use any discrimination, switch your mode to ‘All Metal.’
This mode allows you to detect with zero discrimination.
For you experienced hunters out there, the All Metal Mode on the Tracker IV is not to be confused with a True All Metal Mode since this machine does not have threshold control.
All metal mode is great to use if you’re doing relic hunting since some of your good targets will be iron. And you wouldn't want to discriminate relics!
Unlike the ‘Disc’ mode, there will only be one tone, and you will not be able to tell if its a good target until you dig it up.
The third and final search mode on the Tracker IV is called ‘Tone’.
Simply put, if the discrimination knob scares you, but you still want some degree of discrimination, then this is your mode.
This mode will give you 2 tones, and auto rejects iron.
Low conductive targets will be a low, grunting tone while high conductive targets a higher pitched tone.
The last feature of the control box you should know about is the Target Indicator Meter.
This is a basic, analog meter that measures the strength of the signal.
This can be useful for getting an idea of how deep a target is, as well as how large the target is.
Personally, I wouldn't recommend using this much as I think the audio signals provide the same, if not better, indications.
Headphones
Looking at the control box, you’ll also notice a headphone input.
This will accept any headphones that use a ¼” jack. You can buy a nice set of metal detecting headphones, or use any existing pair that has the right size jack.
If you have a nice pair of headphones already or just don't want to buy a new pair, you can use a cheap pair of ear buds as long as you get an adapter like this one since most ear buds have a ⅛” connector.
Even though headphones are not needed, I highly recommend them for a few reasons.
Bounty Hunter Tk4 Tracker Iv Metal Detector Manual
First, it will extend the battery life of the detector because it doesn't have to use its onboard speaker system.
Second and most important, you need to be able to hear exactly what your detector is telling you.
And when you’re hunting in noisy areas like an ocean beach where the wind and crashing waves are deafening, you need a good set of headphones.
Headphones are not included with the Tracker IV, but here is a nice set I recommend.
Batteries
Two standard 9V batteries are included with the Tracker IV.
Sometimes when you get the detector, the batteries may be installed backward to protect against corrosion during storage - so be sure to check that if your machine doesn't turn on.
Expect to get 20-30 hours of detecting on one set of batteries. Your time will vary depending on your sensitivity settings and if you’re using headphones or not.
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Accessories
Bounty Hunter Tk4 Tracker Iv Metal Detector User Manual Free
In addition to a nice set of headphones, I also recommend you get a few accessories.
Bounty Hunter Tk4 Review
None of these are needed - just nice to have. And if you’re buying this as a gift, it’s always nice to include a few extras 🙂