coming from PA, I have a .54 Thomp. Renegade flintlock. In PA you have to use flint as well as patched ball. Before I moved west the Flintlock season in PA were the day after XMAS through January. My sons used the TC Hawkin in .50. We killed a few deer but were always weather sensitive. We used homemade lock covers slathered in snowseal. TC makes a great gun.