Description
Bounty Hunter Tracker IV: The Most Famous First Detector, Honestly Reviewed
Odds are the Tracker IV is why you searched "metal detector" at all: it is the machine in every big-box aisle and every "best beginner detector" video. Here is the honest dealer version of the story. It earned that fame by doing three things stubbornly well: it costs almost nothing, it works the moment batteries go in, and its preset ground balance stays calm in ground, including black sand and saltwater beaches, that rattles other starters.
Why the Tracker IV
Two knobs and a mode switch run the whole machine. All-Metal mode finds everything; Discrimination mode dials out nails and foil; Tone Discrimination mode splits finds into two audio tones so your ears do the sorting. The 8 in (20 cm) waterproof coil covers real ground per sweep and follows you into wet grass and stream edges (housing stays dry). No screen exists to break or to decipher, which is precisely why summer camps, schools, and parents keep buying it. What it does not do, we will say plainly: no target ID screen, no depth readout, no pinpoint button. If you want those, your money goes to the Discovery 1100 at $17 more or the Quick Draw II at $39 more, and we sell all three. But as a first machine that simply works, four decades of detectorists started exactly here. Designed and made in El Paso, Texas.
Specifications
| Spec | Tracker IV |
|---|---|
| Modes | All-Metal, Discrimination, Tone Discrimination |
| Ground balance | Preset, stable in black sand and saltwater ground |
| Audio | 2-tone |
| Detection | Motion-based |
| Search coil | 8 in (20 cm), waterproof |
| Controls | 2 knobs + mode switch, no screen |
| Power | 2 x 9V alkaline |
| Built | First Texas Products, El Paso, Texas, USA |
What's included
- Tracker IV control unit and shaft with 8 in (20 cm) waterproof search coil
- Bounty Hunter factory warranty (First Texas Products)
History Seekers stocks the full Bounty Hunter line. Buying a first detector and torn between three models under $120? Call (256) 284-2247; we do this every day and will give it to you straight. The story is more important than the artifact.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Tracker IV good for beginners?
It is the definitive beginner machine: two knobs, three modes, no screen to misread, and stable behavior in ground that confuses other starters.
Does it work on the beach?
Yes. Its preset ground balance is specifically stable in black sand and saltwater environments, unusual at this price. The coil is waterproof; keep the control housing dry.
Does it show what the target is?
No screen: the Tone Discrimination mode gives a two-tone audio hint instead. If you want a visual target ID, step up to the Discovery 1100 ($17 more) or Quick Draw II; we stock both.
Tracker IV or Tracker II?
The Tracker IV's tone-discrimination mode and 8 in coil make it the better hunter of the two classics; the Tracker II adds automatic ground balancing. For most buyers the IV is the pick.
What batteries does it use?
Two 9V alkaline batteries.