Keith,
What rifle do you have in 45-70?
Perry, I will probably carry my Marlin 1895 .45-70 on the first couple days of rifle deer season. But I also have a Siamese Mauser converted to .45-70, a Wickliffe 76 single shot in .45-70, and an 1886 Trapdoor Springfield. I haven't fired the Trapdoor yet because it was missing the rear sight when I bought it.
Early on, I was a disciple of Roy Weatherby, and strongly believed in smaller calibers at high velocity. But when I started hunting with a flintlock, I quickly learned that those large diameter bullets or balls at relatively low black powder velocity killed all out of proportion to their rather anemic kinetic energy. It didn't make sense on paper, but having every deer I shot with it fall dead within a very few yards convinced me otherwise.
To me, the major advantage of carrying the Marlin 1985 versus the flintlock is that the Marlin has a Leupold 1-4x scope. Since the advent of antler restrictions in my state, I missed out on a number of bucks with the flintlock simply because I had to take extra time and make additional arm movements while counting points with binoculars. But if I had to choose to keep only one hunting rifle for the rest of my life, it would be a flintlock... without a doubt. And Flintlock Season is my absolute favorite.
