For the type of hunting we do out here, radios and ear buds are an absolute must.
And number two is range finders with BDC systems that correspond with the ballistics of the specific bullet / cartridge being used.
Back in the day, the only radio one could effectively use in the field would cost no less than $1000 each. And they would often get broken. They were also quite heavy due to the large number of batteries required, and they would eat batteries so quickly, everyone had to carry extra batteries too. Now days I can outfit everyone with ear buds / vox for around $75 per person and batteries will last for days before they go dead. Prior to these affordable radios, budget restricted hunters and guides used red flags to give signals to the hunter, up was go straight, down meant straight back, right, left, and stop was waving the flag back and forth. It was a pain in the butt cause you didn't always have eyes on each other.
And before we had any decent means of ranging the shot became available, missed shots were common place, especially when the distance exceeded 250 yds or so.
Bullets have definitely come a very long way, but I don't think it has had a major impact on kill shots. I think any decent bullet, even some that are from the 60's and 70's will easily get the job done if the shooter can put it where it needs to be in the first place. For instance, I use a Speer BTSP that has been around since at least the 70's, probably longer, and I just saw two deer killed this week with those Speer's.
GS
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