I got a Bounty Hunter Tracker IV as my first detector a couple months ago to see if I would like the hobby, and I do (a lot). I have used it almost everyday (thank you global warming lol). Now I'm thinking it's time to upgrade... but I'm not sure what to get. I know there's no "best detector" since everyone's needs and hunting style are different so here's a little about me:
I live in Indiana and hunt mostly in parks and along trails. No beaches yet but do plan on hitting up Indiana Dunes/Lake Michigan eventually. Some areas I hunt are very trashy - pull tabs everywhere - but these are also the spots with the most activity and history. I have no problem picking out the copper pennies (Zincolns usually stay in the ground), dimes, quarters and up. I can tell a nickel from a pull tab with pretty good accuracy (the newer pop tabs give off a more steady tone so they are trickier but at least they are less common and usually near the surface). I got lucky a couple times and dug up 2 gold rings (14K). Today I took one of those rings and a modern pop tab and tried to get the Bounty Hunter to distinguish between the two. It couldn't. Neither in tone mode or disc mode. They were identical to the machine.
Thus, my main motivation for wanting to upgrade. I'm tired of digging up tabs. A few once in awhile is understandable due to all the other variables that can affect it, but I want a machine that can tell the difference in a simple air test at least. I very likely passed over some gold assuming it was junk. I don't want a specialized gold finder as I have no prospecting plans nor expectations of finding very small gold jewelery (although that would be nice too). My other issue is that I haven't found ANY silver coins yet. Either there's none around here (unlikely as I have found several wheaties, and Indiana head and a buffalo nickel) or they're too deep for my machine with discernment on. All metal mode for extra depth isn't an option for me at these parks.
I have a Garrett Pro Pointer so built-in pin-pointing functionality isn't that important.
I have my eye on Minelab's E-Trac, which is about as much as I'm willing to spend. All the extra info it gives you seems like it would help me tremendously. My fear is that no matter which detector I get, it still won't be able to tell me the difference between my 14K gold ring and a pop tab... maybe it's not possible. Anyway, I thought I'd come here for some advice.
I live in Indiana and hunt mostly in parks and along trails. No beaches yet but do plan on hitting up Indiana Dunes/Lake Michigan eventually. Some areas I hunt are very trashy - pull tabs everywhere - but these are also the spots with the most activity and history. I have no problem picking out the copper pennies (Zincolns usually stay in the ground), dimes, quarters and up. I can tell a nickel from a pull tab with pretty good accuracy (the newer pop tabs give off a more steady tone so they are trickier but at least they are less common and usually near the surface). I got lucky a couple times and dug up 2 gold rings (14K). Today I took one of those rings and a modern pop tab and tried to get the Bounty Hunter to distinguish between the two. It couldn't. Neither in tone mode or disc mode. They were identical to the machine.
Thus, my main motivation for wanting to upgrade. I'm tired of digging up tabs. A few once in awhile is understandable due to all the other variables that can affect it, but I want a machine that can tell the difference in a simple air test at least. I very likely passed over some gold assuming it was junk. I don't want a specialized gold finder as I have no prospecting plans nor expectations of finding very small gold jewelery (although that would be nice too). My other issue is that I haven't found ANY silver coins yet. Either there's none around here (unlikely as I have found several wheaties, and Indiana head and a buffalo nickel) or they're too deep for my machine with discernment on. All metal mode for extra depth isn't an option for me at these parks.
I have a Garrett Pro Pointer so built-in pin-pointing functionality isn't that important.
I have my eye on Minelab's E-Trac, which is about as much as I'm willing to spend. All the extra info it gives you seems like it would help me tremendously. My fear is that no matter which detector I get, it still won't be able to tell me the difference between my 14K gold ring and a pop tab... maybe it's not possible. Anyway, I thought I'd come here for some advice.
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Everyone that gets a Bounty Hunter soon wants to upgrade. But I have to tell you that NO MD can tell the difference between most pull tabs and gold rings. Gold rings are alloyed with different metals to make them harder. The conductivity happens to be in the same range as the alum pull tab and some rings are even in the foil and high iron range. Silver rings are very conductive as are silver coins and are usually the first to be found. A small coil is needed for trashy parks so you have a better chance of getting only one target under the coil at a time so it won't be masked out. Relying on a screen will have you not digging targets because the detector said it was a pull tab and if you believe it you lost out on a gold ring.
