You may not find many stories of long shots on game in the Eastern deer woods, or even in the more open Midwest, because many of those states are shotgun only. But go to Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado or New Mexico and you will hear a bunch. Even guys 40 - 50 years old have probably always had scoped rifles, but they will remember grand dad telling about long shots across the valleys between two hills. Read the books of Elmer Keith and he has plenty of long shot tales including his 600 yard deer kill with a S&W Model 29. You will get more long shots at game in the western states just because of the topography.
Early 70's, in the Army, we had this little head and shoulders silhouette target, like a guy peeking out of a foxhole. They were gray/ green color, in the green brush of Ft. Knox, KY. but my 18 year old eyes could see them at 400 yards. And hit them. Someone asked about the sight picture at long ranges and in my own experience and reading other gun writers, you often acquire the target with a six o'clock hold, then raise the front sight, obscuring the target, and shoot.
Read historical accounts from WW 1 or WW 2 Europe and GI's were making great long shots on deer sized targets (humans) with '03 Springfields, Enfields and Garands. Usually men from western states or Kentucky or Tennessee. Often not in the best conditions, snow, rain, artillery falling on you.
Read about the battle at Adobe Walls. A trapper knocked an Indian off his horse, standing on the horizon, with a 50-70 or 45-70, memory fails, at over a measured 1000 yards. I'm sure he shot a lot of buffalo with that rifle at 500 yards. Know your gun and load.
My longest iron sight kills are a Sitka deer in SE Alaska, with an '03 Springfield 30-06, across a valley, hillside to hillside, can't know exact but over 300 yards conservatively, probably closer to 400. Had him perched on top of the front sight, then raised the front sight, obscuring the target, just before I fired. Hit him mid body (top to bottom) and behind the shoulder. He was dead before he finished rolling down the hill.
When I was about 12 we were hunting rabbits on a friend's farm. Just before sundown a jack presented himself on the horizon, back lit by the setting sun. He was standing up, probably listening to us. I was using a borrowed .22, don't remember what kind. I aimed at the top of his ears, fired and he fell over dead. Took 240 long paces to reach him. Hit him through the ear canals, brain shot.
Several of you have said you were lucky, but it isn't luck to know your gun and load, and direct fire accurately enough for a positive result.
