Bounty Hunter Tracker IV Review

The Tracker IV is designed to remove the intimidation from metal detecting. Instead of menus and numeric readouts, you get a clean interface with knobs for sensitivity and discrimination, plus a mode toggle. Power it up, sweep it low and level over the ground, and dig the good tones. Because it relies on audio target identification rather than a screen, you learn to read the machine by ear — a skill that transfers well if you upgrade later.

It handles typical hunting ground — parks, school fields, backyards, and beaches (dry sand) — comfortably. As a VLF detector it is a general-purpose coin and relic machine, not a specialist gold-nugget or deep-relic tool. For a broader look at the lineup, browse our Bounty Hunter reviews hub.

• Two-knob simplicity: sensitivity and discrimination controls make setup fast and forgiving.
• Motion all-metal + discrimination: hunt everything, or dial out common trash like foil and pull-tabs.
• Tone-based target ID: different targets produce different audio responses so you can judge before digging.
• Waterproof search coil: the coil can be submerged in shallow water, though the control box cannot.
• Interchangeable coil: swap the stock coil for a larger one for depth or a smaller one for trashy sites — see our guide to Bounty Hunter search coils.

The Tracker IV is ideal for absolute beginners, kids supervised by an adult, gift buyers, and anyone who wants a low-risk way to try metal detecting before committing to a pricier machine. Casual detectorists who mostly hunt parks and yards will be happy with it long-term. If you already know you want numeric target ID or serious depth, consider stepping up to the Land Ranger Pro or the Time Ranger Pro instead.

Start in all-metal mode to understand what your site contains, then add discrimination only enough to skip the worst trash — over-discriminating will make you miss good targets. Keep the coil low and sweep slowly; because this is a motion detector, it needs the coil moving to detect. Ground with high iron mineralization may require lowering the sensitivity to reduce false signals. When you're ready to experiment, a larger coil adds ground coverage and depth on open sites. New to swinging a detector? Read our how-to guide first.

If you're weighing the Tracker IV against the brand's other affordable machines, the table below shows where it lands. All four are VLF detectors from First Texas; the practical differences come down to the controls and how much trash you can reject before digging.

The takeaway: the Tracker IV is the safe default in this group, with a third detection mode the Gold Digger lacks and simpler tone-only operation than the display-equipped models. For the full lineup across every tier, see our best Bounty Hunter metal detector comparison.

The Tracker IV replaced the older Tracker II in the lineup; if you own or are eyeing an earlier machine, our discontinued Bounty Hunter models guide maps each retired model to its modern equivalent.