I have had a lot of questions regarding my Minelab Etrac settings recently, and after giving it a lot of thought, there is no concrete answer to this question, as the settings change per conditions I am detecting in. When I first bought my Etrac, I hunted in the “Coins” mode with the upper right hand corner of the screen edited to accept targets, which the default mode has discriminated out. Large silver such as half dollars, silver dollars, large silver rings, and even silver quarters on edge can come up in this range; however, so can rusted nuts, nails or bolts.
Whenever learning a new machine, it is wise to dig as many targets as possible to see where your targets are ID’ing at, via the ferrous and conductive number scale and how your cursor is behaving (bouncing around, locking on in one spot, etc). It is a good idea to keep a small notebook with you on your hunts to record the different VDI numbers, depth of the targets (VDI numbers will change as the targets get deeper), if the cursor “bounced”* around or “locked”* on target, and what the target was. Dig and record at least the first 100 consecutive signals you get to familiarize yourself with the “types”of targets you are hearing. This will train your ear on the sounds different alloys make, making it easier to distinguish between “good” and “junk” targets.
When you are just beginning to learn your machine, I recommend detecting in:
- the coins mode
- with the sensitivity set at “AUTO + 3,” (as running manual sensitivity may be overwhelming at first with signals)
- “DEEP” OFF
- “RECOVERY FAST” ON
- “GAIN” maxed out at 30 to hear those deep signals
- As for tones, “MULTI TONE” is the best way to train your ear on the tones different targets make, getting your ear familiar with low, mid and high tones, as the SOUND the targets make will make it easier to decide wether to DIG or NOT to DIG.
My entire first year, this is how I detected finding 169 silver coins, around 30-40 Buffalo and “V” Nickels, over 75 Indian Head pennies, and well over 300 “Wheat” pennies. I had only started changing my settings after the first year, at which point I became fully aware of how these settings changed how the Etrac functions.
The Etrac is a very advanced and high-end detector that takes time to master. It takes patience, persistence, determination and hours in the field learning what the detector is telling you. It isn’t always silver and gold that I dig that many of you see in many YouTube videos, I dig 100′s of pounds of trash a year as well. I don’t advise setting your detector to more advanced settings until the basics have been learned. I will continue to post on opening your E-Tracs to discriminate less signals gradually, strategies on when to hunt in manual and auto sensitivities, when to run “DEEP” ON, when it is beneficial to run TTF (Two-tone ferrous), and how to run your machine “HOT.”
* Certain targets make the cursor bounce around the screen. IH pennies bounce around in a triangle pattern with numbers ranging from 11/30-12/37, and some targets lock on in one location such as clear targets (laying flat with no other targets nearby) i.e. silver coins in the furthest right hand side of the screen. Silver also has a particular “SOUND” to it, even though if the numbers don’t suggest so.
I have gone out on several expeditions since last spotting “Limpy.” I’ve had come across him on a few of these adventures, watching him limp around, with his antlers still attached to his head. There were also numerous other bucks, some with a limp, a couple with one side already shed, a few of them bald, and several with both sides still on. It will be a little bit difficult to recognize “Limpy,” as once he sheds his antlers, he will look so much like his buddies. Another disappointment is the amount of competition that is out searching for these dropped sheds as well. Will I be the one fortunate enough to find them? Only time and miles of hiking will tell. My only question to myself is, ”Has he moved to an area with not as much human presence?” The reason I ask myself this question is, that in the last three outings, I have not seen “Limpy.” Although, I have seen other suitable bucks in areas I have not seen them in before.
I was fortunate enough to find two sheds during these outings. However, I was unable to find the second shed, for either of them, completing the set. I hiked over 100 yards in each direction of the initial shed that I found, to no avail. Due to the amount of my competitors that I have ventured across scouring the same areas as I, I would not be surprised if one of them had already found it. It seems that whichever direction I decide to travel, someone has already covered it before me. I was unable to photograph the first shed as it lay, due to my forgetfulness of my camera. I apologize for that; however, one of my metal detecting partners, TreasureFiend, came along with me on a new adventure for him, and he got it on video. For those interested in seeing it happen, you can view it on 
After receiving a few photos from my friends successful antler shed hunt, I was determined to get out in the woods today in search of my own trophy sheds. As soon as I arrived at my location, I noticed a few feeding areas where someone had left out some straw. These feeding areas are a great starting point when searching for shed racks. Bucks congregate in these types of areas since the food supply is abundant, and may rub their antlers against a nearby bush or tree, causing the antlers to fall off. Areas such as this give you a higher probability of finding some decent sheds. I walked up to the area and examined the shrubs and trees nearby. As I expected, there were a lot of signs indicating the presence of buck. There were deer trails littered with scat leading to and from this area. Another promising sign was the amount of rubbed trees in the vicinity. Although I did not see any buck present here, I decided to walk one of the trails leading deeper into the woods, hoping to locate a buck wandering around. (When walking such trails, I make sure not to walk through any areas where they may be bedding, as this may disrupt their natural habitat and deter them from returning to their beds).
Shortly after strolling down the path, I came across “Limpy.” He was limping around searching for food in a densely wooded area. I could not determine the reason for his limp, as his body looked fairly healthy for the winter months. His rack is truly beautiful, thick and wide. I watched him for several minutes as quiet as can be. This allowed for him to get within ten feet from me, and pose for my camera. After getting a few photos of him, I walked back to my car thinking if he’ll make it through this winter. It is a great feeling being able to come this close to such a beautiful animal. I will continue coming back to this area in hopes of finding his sheds. It will make for an amazing story being able to match his sheds with these pictures. Although, I did not find any sheds today, my adventure was truly a success being able to witness “Limpy” up close.