Metal detection is an exciting hobby, and you never know what you're about to dig up when you get a wet signal.
Bounty Hunter metal detectors are made for beginners and advanced hobbyists. They have been popular with amateur detectorists for several decades.
Bounty Hunter is owned by First Texas Products, the company that also owns Fisher and Teknetics. This company has a solid history in metal detection.
These detectors are made in Texas, so by purchasing this brand you are supporting the US economy.
Which one should you choose?
Which bounty hunter you choose will depend on your age, budget, and how much metal detection you plan to do.
Some bounty hunters are made for kids, while others are made for adults and teens.
Anyone who wants to learn metal detection at a reasonable price should love Bounty Hunters!
Let's take a look at the detectors in the Bounty Hunter range and find one that suits you or the child in your life.
Best option for children
Kids will love the ease and simplicity of these Bounty Hunter metal detectors.
They don't have as many features as more advanced detectors, and this is perfect for young children who don't want to be overwhelmed by complicated equipment when trying to have fun.
The following three machines do not require much study before using them. Children can open the box and go straight outside without reading or training.
Bounty Hunter Junior
The Bounty Hunter Junior (see today's price) is perfect for children aged 6+. This black detector looks like a mini version of an adult detector that some kids will love.
Children will be entertained by this detector for years to come, probably up to the age of 10 or 11.
At this point, especially if they've been detecting since the age of 6, they'll want to upgrade to a slightly heavier and more sophisticated machine.
But in the meantime, they will use this detector for years and love showing off their finds to family and friends.
The Bounty Hunter Junior weighs just 1.5 pounds and is adjustable in length from 20.5 inches to 31.5 inches - a perfect length for young children.
It has a discrimination mode to help you avoid digging garbage.
This detector is capable of finding a coin-sized object up to 5 inches underground.
The Bounty Hunter Junior doesn't have a screen - it just has a needle that shows the depth at which an object is buried.
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Bounty Hunter Junior Target ID (TID)
The Bounty Hunter Jr. TIME(see today's price) is great for kids from 6 to about 9 years old. After that, it gets too babyish for older kids because the detector shows finds with faces.
But for this age group, the faces on screen are a perfect way to let kids know if they should dig up their targets.
It uses three faces - the sad face means it's a junk find like nails, a more interested face shows a more valuable item like a ring, and the happiest face means the target could be a coin.
This method is easy for kids to understand - it teaches them whether to dig or pass the signal when it comes to junk.
This detector can be adjusted to grow with your child - ranging from 19 to 31 inches.
Like the Bounty Hunter Junior, this detector only weighs 1.5 pounds, which is a good weight for such young kids.
They won't have a hard time carrying it around and it will bring them more joy!
The Discrimination function, which helps a child not to spend time digging up garbage, can be activated simply by pressing a button.
The detector has a wing stand that protects it when your child puts it on the ground to dig.
Unlike the Bounty Hunter Junior, this detector also features tri-color target identification that emits a different tone depending on the type of metal found.
Read our fullBounty Hunter Junior Review.
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Bounty hunter gold digger
The Gold Digger (see today's price) is a heavier detector than the other two we covered above at 2.2 pounds, so it's a better choice for older kids.
This is a good choice for children aged 9-14.
Another reason this one works well for older (and bigger) kids is that it's longer. It can be adjusted from 34.5 inches to 45.5 inches.
After around the age of 14, many probers may prefer to upgrade to a detector with more features than this.
But for kids who are just starting out with metal detection, this is a great detector to have by their side.
Despite the heavier weight and longer length, this machine is still a good choice for kids because of its ease of use.
It only has two buttons, so kids don't have to learn complicated functions.
This detector comes with headphones that help kids hear signals better, especially in a crowded area or on the beach where the wind and breaking waves can be quite loud.
It has three audio tones to help a child decide whether to dig.
It also comes with a sensitivity meter to help a child gauge the strength of the signal and whether it's worth digging.
Something the Gold Digger doesn't have is a screen, which some probers prefer, but it doesn't detract from a machine's performance.
Read our fullBounty Hunter Gold Digger Review.
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Older children, beginner adults
For older children andbeginner adult, Bounty Hunter has two detectors for this group - the Tracker IV and Quicksilver. This is a great choice for teens and adult detectorists new to the hobby.
Bounty Hunter Pursuer IV
The Pursuer IV (see today's price) is a good metal detector for teens, but it might work for pre-teens too, especially if they're taller and a bit stronger than their peers.
Let's start with what the Tracker IV doesn't have - a visual depth indicator or LCD display.
The depth indicator can be useful, especially if you are a new detectorist, because you will have a rough idea of how many inches to dig.
The Tracker IV only has two audio tones, compared to the three tones that some detectors have.
The Tracker IV has a waterproof 8" spool, which means you can hunt in very shallow water - but you still don't want the control box getting wet!
It comes with a preset ground balance, which means you will get less false positive signals in soils with a lot of mineralization.
It has adjustable discrimination and sensitivity that will help you in your search when you come across higher mineralization and lots of junk.
You won't have a screen, which can be disappointing for some detectorists.
Read our fullBounty Hunter Tracker IV im Test.
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Bounty Hunter Quicksilver
The mercury (see today's price) is an excellent entry-level device for teenagers or beginners, allowing them to explore metal detection at an affordable price.
Unlike the Tracker IV, this detector has a visual depth indicator that lets you know how deep to dig.
It doesn't give you an exact number of inches to dig, but it does give you a range - shallow, medium, and deep.
This feature is not available on the cheaper Bounty Hunter detectors.
It features 3-tone audio identification to help probers make informed decisions about what to dig.
It also features 4-segment digital target identification, which can help you identify what type of target you might encounter and whether you should dig it up or have it buried.
It doesn't have an adjustable ground balance, which would be helpful in difficult ground conditions, but for a basic search, this detector will suffice.
Read our fullBounty Hunter Quicksilver Review.
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Experienced Detectors
Bounty Hunter also makes detectors suitable for detectors that have some experience with metal detection but cannot afford the higher price of an expert-level detector. Here are our tips:
Bounty Hunter Lone Star Pro
While the Quicksilver is a good device for beginning amateur detectorists, the Lone Star Pro (see today's price) is a notch above the performance of this detector.
It's good for people who have some experience or who want to dive into metal detection with both feet.
It shares many of the same features as the Quicksilver, with two notable differences.
It has three modes instead of the one you get with the Quicksilver. While Quicksilver only has Discrimination mode, Lone Star Pro has All-Metal, Discrimination, and Auto-Notch modes.
These modes allow you to be more selective about the signals you hear.
By phasing out some of the modes that are probably junk, you can save your time and your efforts for better signals.
The Lone Star Pro also has a 9 segment digital target identification - not just the 4 segment identification found on the Quicksilver.
That means you'll have a better idea of what kind of relic or treasure you've found with the Lone Star Pro.
It also has a large display that is easy to read.
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Bounty Hunter Quick Draw Pro
Der Quick Draw Pro (see today's price) has 0 to 99 target identification numbers, which the Lone Star Pro does not have.
That's the main difference between these two machines and a feature that a lot of people love
Numerical target identification lets you figure out what type of metal you've found much more accurately than any other model we've talked about so far.
Also, like the Lone Star Pro, this detector has 9 target identification.
If you can avoid digging for questionable signals, you increase your chances of finding something of value by spending less time digging for junk.
This detector also offers you a location mode that will help you find your target more accurately.
It sucks to spend your time and energy digging a hole only to find out you dug to the left or right of the object.
This detector features 3-tone identification audio as well as adjustable iron audio.
Iron Audio gives you a much better chance of avoiding pesky finds like bottle caps.
This detector is lightweight at 2.4 pounds, meaning you can hunt comfortably all day.
It comes with a large 10 inch waterproof coil that quickly covers the ground when swinging.
The volume control is a nice touch as you can turn it down if you don't want everyone in the park to hear your signals.
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Bounty Hunter Time Ranger
At 4 pounds, the Time Ranger (see today's price) is a heavier machine. While this isn't a problem for some probe walkers, those with back or shoulder problems should be aware!
This machine lets you control sensitivity, and it has 9 target identification to help you make decisions about what to dig.
An advantage of the Time Ranger is that it has Ground-Trac (automatic ground balancing) that checks for ground mineralization that could cause false positive signals.
The detector automatically adjusts to bottom conditions with this feature, allowing for better depth and more accurate target detection.
It's really frustrating digging holes only to find out there's nothing there!
The Time Ranger has a blanker function - with the push of a button you can free yourself from unwanted targets.
The 8 inch spool is not as big as that of the Quick Draw Pro.
The screen takes a little getting used to because there is so much to see at once and so many different buttons to press.
It has a numeric depth indicator so you know exactly how far to dig and numeric target identification to help you work out what type of metal you've found.
Click hereto read more reviews and check the latest prices on Amazon.
Bounty Hunter Land Ranger Pro
The Landranger Pro (see today's price) is pretty much the deluxe model from Bounty Hunters.
It features numeric target identification and a numeric depth indicator, just like the Time Ranger.
But it can find coins at a depth of 10 inches, which is the best depth you'll get with any bounty hunter - the Time Ranger, for example, has a depth of 9 inches.
This detector also has seven search modes compared to the one, two, three, or four offered by all other bounty hunter detectors.
It also has four audio tones compared to one, two, or three other bounty hunters.
The Land Ranger Pro also features Ground-Trac for ground mineralization so you can hunt with confidence even in more difficult ground conditions.
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Final Thoughts
No matter which bounty hunter detector you choose, you will join an exciting hobby and be armed with an affordable detector that will help you in your quest for treasure!
You will only be able to find treasure if you start searching. So get out as soon as possible!
Would you like to see reviews of other brands? Check out our full guideThe best metal detectors.