Bounty Hunter Land Ranger User guide
Land Ranger™
Metal Detector
Owner’s Manual
The Land Ranger™ is a top-of-the line professional metal detector
with high-end features for the serious metal detectorist. A large LCD
panel displays current operating status at all times during operation
in the field. All feaures and functions are highly visible, with no
hidden programming, making your Land Ranger™ easy to use.
◆ Microprocessor-controlled
◆ Programmable operation
◆ Programmable targets
◆ LCD target readout
◆ Touch pad selection
◆ Numbered target values
◆ SMART TRAC ground control
Carefully read this entire manual before attempting to operate
your new Land Ranger™ Metal Detector.
Contents
The Basics of Metal Detecting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Metal Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Discrimination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Depth Detection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Ground Balancing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Quick Start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
To assemble the Land Ranger™ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Batteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
To install the batteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
To check the batteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Headphones. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
To connect and use headphones. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Control Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Probable Target ID fields. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Touch pads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
LCD Display. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
TARGET Readout. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Dials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Target Value Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Basic Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Turning the Detector ON. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
DISCRIMINATION Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
To accept all targets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
To select PRESET targets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
To select customized targets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
To adjust sensitivity in DISCRIMINATION mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
To listen to tones in DISCRIMINATION mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
ALL METAL Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
To select ALL METAL mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
To adjust sensitivity in ALL METAL mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
To adjust detector when ground conditions change. . . . . . . . . . . . 19
To update ground balancing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Testing the detector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Ground Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Air Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Using the Detector in the Field . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Coil Movement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Pinpointing the target . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
False signals and chatter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Ground Balancing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Resetting the detector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Detector Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Coinshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Recommended Mode of Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Relic Hunting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Recommended mode of operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Jewelry Hunting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Recommended mode of operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Gold Prospecting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Recommended mode of operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Tips for gold prospecting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Cache Hunting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Recommended mode of operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Tips for cache hunting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Common Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Caring for Your Metal Detector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Bounty Hunter‘ metal detectors will detect any item composed all or
in part of metal. Most common and inexpensive metal detectors also
detect metal, but have three important limitations: discrimination,
depth detection and ground balancing. Bounty Hunter™ metal
detectors, on the other hand, possess superior discrimination, depth
detection and ground balancing capabilities.
Metal Types
• iron—a low-grade metal; iron objects range from nails and bolts to
valuable historical relics such as bullets, cannon balls, guns or
shakcles.
• aluminum—a low-grade metal; aluminum objects such as foil or
cans are usually undesirable.
• zinc—a lower -grade metal; zinc is found in U.S. pennies minted
after 1982 and many newer, non-US coins also contain zinc.
• copper—a medium-grade metal; copper is found in U.S. pennies
minted before 1982.
• gold—a high-grade metal; jewelry or gold nuggets are gold items
sought by detectorists.
• silver—a high grade metal; jewelry or silver coins are silver items
sought by detectorists.
Discrimination
Discrimination is the detector’s ability to identify the type of buried
metal or completely eliminate unwanted metals from detection.
Bounty Hunter™ Metal Detectors all have superior discrimination
capabilities, allowing them to
differentiate between and identify differ ent types of metals.
Example: If you are searching for valuable coins in a park or beach,
you do not want to dig up pull tabs and cans. You can
adjust the Bounty Hunter™ detector so that it will emit a
distinct tone, or completely tune out these unwanted
items so that you spend your valuable time digging up
only valuable coins.
The Basics of Metal Detecting
1
Depth Detection
Depth detection refers to the detector’s ability to detect objectsat
various depths. The level of depth at which a detector can detect an
object depends on the size of the object—the larger the object, the
deeper it can be detected.
Bounty Hunter™ metal detectors provide
excellent depth detection through solid objects. The maximum depth
detection capability of a Bounty Hunter™ Land Ranger™ is five feet.
Maximum depth is only possible for large metal objects.
Example: A quarter can usually be detected from seven to ten
inches deep. A quarter which has been buried for many
years may be slightly oxidized causing the surrounding
soil to contain oxidized metal. In this case, the quarter
can develop a “halo” metallic signature that increases the
effective size of the object, allowing its detection at a
deeper depth. We have many testimonials from users
finding coins more than one foot deep.
Ground Balancing
Ground balancing refers to a detector’s ability to measure and
average the soil’s mineralization. Most soils contain naturally
occurring minerals. Some soils are more highly mineralized than
others, and soil mineralization can vary dramatically within an area
from one spot to another. Bounty Hunter™ metal detectors have
patented technology which “sees through” the earth’s naturally
occurring minerals, constantly “measuring” the soil’s mineralization
under its search coil and then “averaging” this measurement. The
result is the soil’s “average mineralization.”
Quick Start
If you want to get started quickly do the following:
1. Assemble detector
2. Install two C-size Alkaline Batteries
3. Hold detector in front of you with coil two feet above the ground
4. Press Power ON/OFF Touch Pad
5. Wait for “ ” to appear under “TARGET”
6. Lower search coil to the ground
7. Press “Disc/Target” Touch Pad
8. You are ready for motion ALL-METAL detection
2
Getting Started
Assembly
Assembling your Land Ranger™ is easy and does not require any
tools. Using the following diagram as your guide, just follow these
easy steps.
▲To assemble the Land Ranger™
1. Attach the search coil to the lower stem with knob and bolt supplied.
2. Press the button on the upper end of the lower stem and slide the
lower stem into the upper stem.
3. With your ar m relaxed at your side and the search coil level to and
about one inch above the ground, adjust the stem to a length that lets
you maintain a comfortable upright posture.
4. Wind the search coil cable around the stem, leaving enough slack in
the cable to let you adjust the coil when you are hunting on uneven
ground.
TIP:
To adjust the coil, simply loosen the knob.
5. Insert the coil’s plug into the matching connector on the control
housing, making sure that the holes and pins line up correctly.
CAUTION:
Do not force the plug or you might damage it.
To disconnect the cable, pull out the plug—do not pull on the
cable.
3
Bolt
Knurled
Knob
Search
Coil
Cable
Upper
Stem
Control
Housing
Plug
Lower
Stem
Lower
Stem
Upper
Stem
Connector
on back of
control housing
4
Batteries
Your Land Ranger™ metal detector requires two C ALKALINE batteries.
Using the following diagram as your guide, follow these easy steps to
install the batteries.
▲To install the batteries
1. To remove the battery compartment cover, carefully press the release
clip to the right of the cover.
2. Pull out the battery holder and install two C batteries.
3. Slide the battery holder back into the battery compartment.
4. To replace the cover, carefully insert the side opposite the release clip
first and then carefully press down on the other side until the cover
snaps in place.
CAUTION:
Use only fresh batteries of the required size and type. Batteries
must be ALKALINE type, such as Energizer C size LR14.
▲To check the batteries
1. Turn the unit ON.
The low battery indicator and all other arrow indicators appear
briefly in the LCD display, indicating that the detector is working
properly and the batteries are good.
2. If the arrow on the BATT (battery) dial points to R (Replace), replace
the batteries.
NOTE:
Many metal detector problems are caused by weak, dead, or
improperly connected batteries. If the detector does not turn on,
or if it shows signs of weak volume, improper tuning, erratic
operation, or drifting, replace the batteries.
Release
Clip
Release Clip of
Battery Door
C Size Alkaline
Batteries
TIP:
You can extend battery life by using headphones. The Land
Ranger™ is equipped with a headphone jack for use with any
1/4” stereo-type headset.
Turn the unit OFF when not in use, and if you do not plan to use
the detector for a week or more, remove the batteries.
For optimum performance, r eplace the batteries when the BATT
indicator on the LCD display indicates L (Low).
Headphones
The Land Ranger™ is equipped with a stereo headphone jack. Using
headphones (not supplied) with your metal detector not only extends
battery life, but also makes it easier to identify subtle changes in the
threshold levels for better detection results.
▲To connect and use headphones
1. Insert the headphone 1/4” plug into the headphone jack on the
underside of the control panel, as shown in the following diagram.
2. Set the headphone volume to the lowest setting before you begin
listening; after you begin listening, adjust each volume control to
a comfortable level.
5
Headphone
Jack
1/4 inch
Headphone
Plug
6
Listening Safety
• Do not listen at extremely high volume levels—extended high-volume
listening can lead to permanent hearing loss.
• Once you set the volume controls, do not increase them. Over time,
your ears adapt to the set volume level, so a volume level that may not
necessarily cause discomfort might still damage your hearing.
Traffic Safety
Do not wear headphones while operating your detector in traffic areas.
This practice could create a traffic hazard and is illegal in some areas.
While your headphones are designed to let you hear some outside
sounds at normal volume levels, they still present a traf fic hazard.
7
The control panel, as shown in the following diagram, is located at the
center of the control housing. It consists of an LCD display, probable
target ID fields, and several touch pads. The control panel provides
control and constant reference during all detector operations.
Combined with its 3-Tone Audio Target Identification, the Land
Ranger’s control panel provides as accurate a reference as possible
while detecting in the field.
Probable Target ID fields
The Probable Target ID fields, located at the top of the control panel,
represent various coin and metal types as well as a GOLD RANGE and
SILVER RANGE. The coin types can also signal other types of metals or
objects that are within a similar detection range. When the Land
Ranger™ senses a target, an arrow on the LCD display points to the
probable target on the Probable Target ID fields. Until the unit detects
another object, the arrow remains pointing to the most recently detected
object type. The following table lists the probable target IDs along with a
brief description of each.
Control Panel
8
PROBABLE TARGET ID Fields
Probable Target
ID
GOLD RANGE
SILVER RANGE
IRON / FOIL
Indicates that the target is probably iron or foil. Land Ranger™
has four levels of progressive iron discrimination—from small
to large. Some rusted oxidized iron may occasionally register in
the SILVER RANGE.
5¢
Located on the top portion of the control panel. The GOLD
RANGE is located on the left and the SILVER RANGE is on
the right. Other metal types can appear in this range: for
example, iron, foil and nickel appear under GOLD RANGE
and copper pennies appear under SILVER RANGE.
Description
Indicates that the target is possibly a nickel. Many gold rings
register as 5¢. A percentage of foil and many newer pull-tabs
are still detected as nickels.
Indicates that the object is probably a pull-tab. Some small
gold may also register as a pull tab.
Indicates that the target is probably a zinc penny (post 1982) or
a screw cap. This target ID is usually accompanied by a
medium tone. Other targets, such as large gold, may also
register in this field.
Indicates that the target is out of identification range.
These four fields indicate a coin type or an object or metal
within similar detection range. Many other objects are
identified in this range: for example, copper, brass and
oxidized metals such as cans, jewelry, tokens, medals, or
even junk metal objects that fall in the same range.
PULL TAB
Z-1¢
S-CAP
DEEP TARGET
1¢
10¢
25¢
50¢
$1
9
Dectector Touch pads
POWER ON/OFF is used to turn the detector on.
ALL METAL SMART TRAC is used to select the ALL
METAL mode of operation.
ALL METAL AUDIO LEVEL - and ALL METAL
AUDIO LEVEL + are used to adjust the detector’s
audio threshold in ALL METAL mode.
DISC TARGET is used to select DISCRIMINATION
mode and to “lock in” programmed settings.
PRESET is used to select preset targets in
DISCRIMINATION mode.
ACCEPT and REJECT are used to select customized
or PRESET targets in DISCRIMINATION mode.
LOW and HIGH are used to adjust the detector’s
sensitivity in DISCRIMINATION mode.
Touch pads
The detector control panel includes several touch pads as shown
and described in the following table. These touch pads are used to
set detector operation.
10
TARGET Readout
TARGET Meaning Description
Ar Air Value Indicates the detector is testing the air.
rY Discriminate Mode Indicates the detector is ready for operation
in ALL METAL mode.
gb Ground
Balance
Indicates the unit has taken ground
measurements and averaged them.
288 ID Numbers
0-299
Indicate air and ground measurements
and target value range for more detailed
target identification.
IR Discrimination Indicates the detector is ready for selective
target discrimination adjustment in the
DISCRIMINATION mode.
IR 1 Iron Mass Level 1 Indicates rejection of small iron objects.
IR 2 Iron Mass Level 2 Indicates rejection of small to medium
iron objects.
IR 3 Iron Mass Level 3 Indicates rejection of medium to large
iron objects.
Fo Foil Indicates object is composed of aluminum foil.
IR 4 Iron Mass Level 4 Indicates rejection of all iron objects.
LCD Display
The LCD display consists of the TARGET readout and both adjustment
and indicator dials. Arrows also appear at the top of the LCD display,
pointing to the probable target detected in the Probable Target ID fields.
▲TARGET Readout
The TARGET readout displays general detector operating information. It
appears in the top center of the LCD display between the SENSITIVITY
and DEPTH dials. The following table lists the general operating
abbreviations that appear under TARGET, their meaning, and a brief
description of each.
SENSITIVITY
The SENSITIVITY dial is located on the top left of the LCD display and is
used in conjunction with the LOW (-) or HIGH (+) touch pads to adjust
the Land Rangers™ sensitivity while operating in DISCRIMINA TION
mode. The arrow points to the selected setting. Adjust sensitivity to
eliminate electromagnetic interference or to adjust detector depth.
DEPTH
The DEPTH dial is located on the top right of the LCD display and
indicates the depth of the detected target in a range of 2-10 inches. The
arrow points to the detected depth. When the depth exceeds 10 inches,
an arrow appears under DEEP TARGET in the PROBABLE TARGET ID
fields. Depth detection is usually accurate to eight inches or less for
coin-sized objects only.
BATT
The BATT dial is located on the bottom left of the LCD display and
indicates battery strength as follows:
G=Good
F=Fair
L=Low
R=Replace
11
▲ Dials
The LCD display has five indicator/adjustment dials, as shown in the
following diagram. All are used to monitor the detector’s operation, and
the SENSITIVITY and LEVEL dials are used in conjunction with touch
pads on the control panel to adjust the detector’s sensitivity.
12
GROUND MONITOR
The GROUND MONITOR dial indicates whether the detector has
achieved ground balance in all soil conditions while operating in
ALL METAL mode.
LEVEL
The LEVEL dial, located on the bottom right of the LCD display, is
used in conjunction with the ALL METAL AUDIO LEVEL - or the
ALL METAL AUDIO LEVEL + touch pads to adjust the volume level
(threshold) when operating the detector in ALL METAL mode.
TARGET Readout
Value Range Objects
32-41
Nickel
$5 Gold Peice
Ring Pull-Tab
Beavertail Pull-Tab
Zinc Penny
Wheat Cent
Clad Dime
Mercury Dime
Clad Quarter
Silver Quarter
Clad Dollar
Franklin Half Dollar
Silver Dollar
Rusty Hinge
51-56
35-60
62-90
99-104
115-145
141-149
150-163
183-197
190-202
187-197
224-238
239-255
293-299
The table below list some common target value equivalents. With experience in
the field, you will recognize many types of metals by their numeric value.
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