{"id":211476,"date":"2025-11-03T17:08:05","date_gmt":"2025-11-03T23:08:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gunsamerica.com\/digest\/?p=211476"},"modified":"2025-11-03T17:23:08","modified_gmt":"2025-11-03T23:23:08","slug":"hunt365-take-the-shot-flintlock-mule-deer-hunt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/hunt365-take-the-shot-flintlock-mule-deer-hunt\/","title":{"rendered":"TAKE THE SHOT: This .54 Flintlock Dropped a Desert Buck Fast"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-yoast-seo-estimated-reading-time yoast-reading-time__wrapper\"><span class=\"yoast-reading-time__icon\"><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" data-icon=\"clock\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" style=\"display:inline-block;vertical-align:-0.1em\" role=\"img\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"M12 8v4l3 3m6-3a9 9 0 11-18 0 9 9 0 0118 0z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"yoast-reading-time__spacer\" style=\"display:inline-block;width:1em\"><\/span><span class=\"yoast-reading-time__descriptive-text\">Estimated reading time: <\/span><span class=\"yoast-reading-time__reading-time\">7<\/span><span class=\"yoast-reading-time__time-unit\"> minutes<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A handmade .54 flintlock, a high-desert mule deer, and a 57-yard window that closed fast. I chose sparks, smoke, and skill over easy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-why-hunt-mule-deer-with-a-54-flintlock\">Why Hunt Mule Deer With a .54 Flintlock<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Since I was a little kid, I\u2019ve had a thing for classic hunting tools. Longbows, lever guns, traditional muzzleloaders. They have a soul that modern synthetics just do not. I love a slick precision mountain rifle, but I still crave the challenge, history, and romance of a primitive weapon. For my 2024 Utah Dedicated Hunter tag, I chose a traditional smoke pole with flintlock ignition, true black powder, and a patched, hand-cast round ball. I could have run a modern muzzleloader with a scope or waited for a long-range rifle hunt. I wanted this one to be harder, and I wanted it to be memorable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Photo-1-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"Flintlock mule deer hunt in Utah high desert with shooter braced on dead juniper for a 57-yard shot\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The author aims with his long flintlock rifle, using a dead juniper tree for support. This is the same tree he shot his buck from.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-yoast-seo-table-of-contents yoast-table-of-contents\"><h2>Table of contents<\/h2><ul><li><a href=\"#h-why-hunt-mule-deer-with-a-54-flintlock\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"hunt365-take-the-shot-flintlock-mule-deer-hunt\" title=\"TAKE THE SHOT: This .54 Flintlock Dropped a Desert Buck Fast\" data-level=\"2\">Why Hunt Mule Deer With a .54 Flintlock<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-rifle-ammo-and-optics-my-traditional-setup\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"hunt365-take-the-shot-flintlock-mule-deer-hunt\" title=\"TAKE THE SHOT: This .54 Flintlock Dropped a Desert Buck Fast\" data-level=\"2\">Rifle, Ammo, And Optics: My Traditional Setup<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#h-handmade-54-flintlock-long-rifle-specs-that-matter\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"hunt365-take-the-shot-flintlock-mule-deer-hunt\" title=\"TAKE THE SHOT: This .54 Flintlock Dropped a Desert Buck Fast\" data-level=\"3\">Handmade .54 Flintlock Long Rifle: Specs That Matter<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-my-black-powder-load-and-patch-details\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"hunt365-take-the-shot-flintlock-mule-deer-hunt\" title=\"TAKE THE SHOT: This .54 Flintlock Dropped a Desert Buck Fast\" data-level=\"3\">My Black Powder Load And Patch Details<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-mule-deer-patterns-in-the-utah-high-desert\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"hunt365-take-the-shot-flintlock-mule-deer-hunt\" title=\"TAKE THE SHOT: This .54 Flintlock Dropped a Desert Buck Fast\" data-level=\"2\">Mule Deer Patterns In The Utah High Desert<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-the-close-range-encounter-heartbeat-and-sparks\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"hunt365-take-the-shot-flintlock-mule-deer-hunt\" title=\"TAKE THE SHOT: This .54 Flintlock Dropped a Desert Buck Fast\" data-level=\"2\">The Close-Range Encounter: Heartbeat And Sparks<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-take-the-shot-or-let-him-go\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"hunt365-take-the-shot-flintlock-mule-deer-hunt\" title=\"TAKE THE SHOT: This .54 Flintlock Dropped a Desert Buck Fast\" data-level=\"2\">Take The Shot Or Let Him Go<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-what-happened-when-the-flint-struck\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"hunt365-take-the-shot-flintlock-mule-deer-hunt\" title=\"TAKE THE SHOT: This .54 Flintlock Dropped a Desert Buck Fast\" data-level=\"2\">What Happened When The Flint Struck<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-traditional-flintlock-rifle-specifications\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"hunt365-take-the-shot-flintlock-mule-deer-hunt\" title=\"TAKE THE SHOT: This .54 Flintlock Dropped a Desert Buck Fast\" data-level=\"2\">Traditional Flintlock Rifle Specifications<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-pros-and-cons-of-a-flintlock-mule-deer-hunt\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"hunt365-take-the-shot-flintlock-mule-deer-hunt\" title=\"TAKE THE SHOT: This .54 Flintlock Dropped a Desert Buck Fast\" data-level=\"2\">Pros And Cons Of A Flintlock Mule Deer Hunt<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-related-reads-from-gunsamerica-digest\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"hunt365-take-the-shot-flintlock-mule-deer-hunt\" title=\"TAKE THE SHOT: This .54 Flintlock Dropped a Desert Buck Fast\" data-level=\"2\">Related Reads From GunsAmerica Digest<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n<a href=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/search?keyword=Flintlock%20Rifles\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"hunt365-take-the-shot-flintlock-mule-deer-hunt\" title=\"TAKE THE SHOT: This .54 Flintlock Dropped a Desert Buck Fast\" style=\"text-decoration:none;font-weight:700;line-height:1;border-radius:9999px;background:#eef4ff;color:#1849a9;border:1px solid #d8e0f0;padding:10px 16px\">\n  \ud83d\uded2 Check Current Price for Flintlock Rifles on GunsAmerica\n<\/a>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-rifle-ammo-and-optics-my-traditional-setup\">Rifle, Ammo, And Optics: My Traditional Setup<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-handmade-54-flintlock-long-rifle-specs-that-matter\">Handmade .54 Flintlock Long Rifle: Specs That Matter<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The rifle was handmade for me by my good friend Steve Baxter, a legendary Tennessee flintlock shooter. It wears a hand-forged trigger guard, buttplate, and hardware. The barrel is 42 inches long, octagonal at the back, and turning round partway forward. Sights are simple and crisp, a blade up front with a plain flat-topped, square-notch rear. The lock is a tuned Siler paired to a custom trigger Steve built. Caliber is .54 with a one turn in 66 inches twist, perfect for patched round balls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Photo-2-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\".54 caliber handmade flintlock long rifle with curly maple stock and octagon-to-round 42 inch barrel resting in mule deer antlers\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The author\u2019s handmade long rifle is beautiful, with curly maple wood stock and an octagon-to-round barrel. It shoots well, too, and the author\u2019s taken bull elk, pronghorn antelope, mule deer, and coyote with it.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-my-black-powder-load-and-patch-details\">My Black Powder Load And Patch Details<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>I load 110 grains of FFFg Goex black powder, then a 22-thousandths linen patch, lubed with rendered black bear fat. The patch wraps a hand-cast .530 diameter 230-grain round ball. I seat it atop the charge with a couple of firm taps. At go time, I prime the pan with a touch of FFFFg Goex, close the frizzen, set half cock, then ear the hammer to full and press the trigger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This rifle and load stack into about two inches at 100 yards. Trajectory is dramatic. Impacts run about five inches high at 50, dead-on at 100, and around four inches low at 125. Past 140 to 150, the round balls destabilize and wander like paintballs. I can hold a pie plate at 135 but not a bushel box at 150. I keep shots close. Optics were simple. My Zeiss Victory RF 10&#215;42 rangefinding binoculars did the measuring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Photo-3-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"Close-up of Siler flintlock action striking sparks into priming pan on traditional .54 long rifle by Steve Baxter\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A close-up of the flintlock. These locks are awesome; utilizing a piece of flint to strike hot sparks into a priming pan full of black powder. This makes the gun go bang.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-mule-deer-patterns-in-the-utah-high-desert\">Mule Deer Patterns In The Utah High Desert<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>My son and I found a group of good bucks while scouting the day before the muzzleloader opener. Each morning, they crossed a sage and pinyon juniper flat, then slid into dense timber to bed. It was punishing to hunt. We hiked for over an hour in the black every morning to set up. I would normally bivy on the route to save miles, but the wind made that a non-starter. So we hiked and guessed at their path and did our best to be in front of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On day three, my son punched his tag with his long rifle. We packed the buck out and iced the meat. Then it was my turn, if the desert would give me a shot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Photo-4-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"Unfired .530 round ball and recovered mushroomed .54 flintlock bullet next to mule deer track in Utah desert soil\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An unfired hand-cast round lead bullet and the heavily mushroomed bullet extracted from the author\u2019s buck. Both are next to the big buck\u2019s track.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-close-range-encounter-heartbeat-and-sparks\">The Close-Range Encounter: Heartbeat And Sparks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Day four broke clear and silent. I slid the long rifle into a dead juniper that broke my outline and gave me a steady rest. The lane covered nearly 100 yards of scattered brush. If the bucks came behind me, I could try to pivot. I settled in and went statue-still. I did not wait long.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A flicker. One buck angling straight for the lane. Then another. Then a third. Close. Fifty to sixty yards. I cocked the hammer and found the trigger. The biggest buck led. I tracked that long barrel with him and prayed for a pause. He never stopped. In seconds, he would vanish into the brush. My front sight lived on his vitals. My finger took up weight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Photo-5-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"Backcountry pack out after mule deer harvest with traditional flintlock rifle in Utah high desert terrain\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Desert bucks usually require a lot of effort to harvest, and even more to pack out. Here, the author carries a heavy load of meat and antlers toward the trailhead, several miles away.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-take-the-shot-or-let-him-go\">Take The Shot Or Let Him Go<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Put yourself there. Hard tag, hard country, a big buck in the lane. You trust your rifle. He is walking. Flintlocks are fast when tuned, but still slower than a centerfire. Can you make a clean hit on a mover at spitting distance? The buck was almost into the trees. Vitals steady in the notch. Would you send it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Photo-6-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"Tagging a mule deer harvested with a traditional .54 flintlock muzzleloader in the high desert\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Tagging a big game animal that you\u2019ve harvested with a primitive weapon can be one of the most exciting and rewarding experiences to be found in the woods. It requires work and dedication, but that\u2019s all part of the fun.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-happened-when-the-flint-struck\">What Happened When The Flint Struck<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>I took the shot. The range was 57 yards. I knew I could hit him well even on the walk. The close distance put impact a bit high, clipping the top of the lungs and the bottom of the spine. The buck dropped in his tracks. Smoke, sparks, and a clean finish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-traditional-flintlock-rifle-specifications\">Traditional Flintlock Rifle Specifications<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><th>Model<\/th><td>Handmade .54 flintlock long rifle by Steve Baxter<\/td><\/tr><tr><th>Caliber<\/th><td>.54<\/td><\/tr><tr><th>Barrel Length<\/th><td>42 in<\/td><\/tr><tr><th>Overall Length<\/th><td>N\/A<\/td><\/tr><tr><th>Weight<\/th><td>N\/A<\/td><\/tr><tr><th>Capacity<\/th><td>1<\/td><\/tr><tr><th>MSRP<\/th><td>N\/A<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-pros-and-cons-of-a-flintlock-mule-deer-hunt\">Pros And Cons Of A Flintlock Mule Deer Hunt<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Pros:<\/strong> Authentic challenge and skill building, excellent 100-yard accuracy with the right load, deadly performance at close range, deep connection to the hunt.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Cons:<\/strong> Slow ignition compared to centerfire, steep trajectory, and limited ethical range past 125 to 135 yards, wind and terrain magnify effort, and packing out is no joke.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-related-reads-from-gunsamerica-digest\">Related Reads From GunsAmerica Digest<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/[Internal 1]\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"hunt365-take-the-shot-flintlock-mule-deer-hunt\" title=\"TAKE THE SHOT: This .54 Flintlock Dropped a Desert Buck Fast\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Traditional Muzzleloader Deer: Round Ball Realities<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/[Internal 2]\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"hunt365-take-the-shot-flintlock-mule-deer-hunt\" title=\"TAKE THE SHOT: This .54 Flintlock Dropped a Desert Buck Fast\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Black Powder Basics: Goex Granulations That Work<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/[Internal 3]\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"hunt365-take-the-shot-flintlock-mule-deer-hunt\" title=\"TAKE THE SHOT: This .54 Flintlock Dropped a Desert Buck Fast\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Zeiss Victory RF 10&#215;42 In The Field<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A handmade .54 flintlock, a high-desert mule deer, and a 57-yard window that closed fast. I chose sparks, smoke, and skill over easy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":73,"featured_media":211471,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_specdata_upc":"","_specdata_placement":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1164,4305,1217,4320,238,37],"tags":[2784,1209,1384,1005],"featured":[],"hunt365":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-211476","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-aram-von-benedikt","8":"category-expert-guides","9":"category-hunt365","10":"category-hunting-hunt365","11":"category-muzzleloaders","12":"category-gun-reviews-rifles","13":"tag-flintlock","14":"tag-hunt365","15":"tag-mule-deer","16":"tag-muzzleloader"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.1 (Yoast SEO v27.2) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>hunt365 - Take the Shot: Utah Mule Deer Hunt With a .54 Flintlock<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Close-range, high-desert buck at 57 yards. See the load, the setup, and why I pressed the trigger when the flint sparked.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/hunt365-take-the-shot-flintlock-mule-deer-hunt\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"TAKE THE SHOT: This .54 Flintlock Dropped a Desert Buck Fast\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A handmade .54 flintlock, a high-desert mule deer, and a 57-yard window that closed fast. I chose sparks, smoke, and skill over easy.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/hunt365-take-the-shot-flintlock-mule-deer-hunt\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Gun Reviews and News | GunsAmerica.com\/Digest\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/gunsamerica\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-11-03T23:08:05+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-11-03T23:23:08+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Photo-1.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"900\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Aram Von Benedikt\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@gunsamerica\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@gunsamerica\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Aram Von Benedikt\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/hunt365-take-the-shot-flintlock-mule-deer-hunt\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/hunt365-take-the-shot-flintlock-mule-deer-hunt\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Aram Von Benedikt\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/#\/schema\/person\/1b6c32ef487f841f57497be84bffb30f\"},\"headline\":\"TAKE THE SHOT: This .54 Flintlock Dropped a Desert Buck Fast\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-11-03T23:08:05+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-11-03T23:23:08+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/hunt365-take-the-shot-flintlock-mule-deer-hunt\/\"},\"wordCount\":1150,\"commentCount\":1,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/hunt365-take-the-shot-flintlock-mule-deer-hunt\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Photo-1.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Flintlock\",\"Hunt365\",\"Mule Deer\",\"Muzzleloader\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Aram von Benedikt\",\"Expert Guides\",\"HUNT365\",\"Hunting\",\"Muzzleloaders\",\"Rifles\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/hunt365-take-the-shot-flintlock-mule-deer-hunt\/#respond\"]}],\"accessibilityFeature\":[\"tableOfContents\"]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/hunt365-take-the-shot-flintlock-mule-deer-hunt\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/hunt365-take-the-shot-flintlock-mule-deer-hunt\/\",\"name\":\"hunt365 - Take the Shot: Utah Mule Deer Hunt With a .54 Flintlock\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/hunt365-take-the-shot-flintlock-mule-deer-hunt\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/hunt365-take-the-shot-flintlock-mule-deer-hunt\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Photo-1.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-11-03T23:08:05+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-11-03T23:23:08+00:00\",\"description\":\"Close-range, high-desert buck at 57 yards. 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