Misconception.

Pink mist = high velocity, something which the .45-70 does not have.

I do quite a bit of hunting with a .45-70, and my wife does quite a bit moreso than I do. Meat and fur damage with the .45-70 is minimal. Be it a coyote or a whitetail, I've never seen what I would call 'excessive' damage done by a .45-70. A .30-30 with a lighter constructed bullet will do far more damage than the .45-70 with their slower moving slugs.

Now as far as the damage on the other end, well that's up to you. My wife is 5'3" and 125lbs and claims that her Marlin Guide Gun 'kicks like butter' with Hornady Leverevolution (325grn FTX Flex Tips at 1795fps). Agreeably far less recoil than a high power 30cal, but not everybody will agree that the .45-70 has light to moderate "butter-like" recoil.