In reply to Frank the Husky:
> I completely agree with you. If it's true that puts him in the same category as gamekeepers who kill raptors, foxhunting tw*ts on horses, and those who bait & kill badgers...and the list goes on. Being a climbing legend doesn't excuse him from criticism for being a bloodsport enthusiast.
Out of interest... why? For me it seems like a natural progression. The more time you spend in the outdoors, the less likely you are to accept captivity of any kind.
Put it this way. I spent last week in Glen Kingie with friends. We were stalking red deer. We went out five days and came back with three hinds. All of which were selected due to the high likelihood of them failing to make it through the winter and are all to be eaten.
But. I don't like killing animals. So why do I do it? Well, frankly because I'd rather be a deer living in a wild Scottish glen that ends up dead by total surprise and bad luck than any kind of captive farm animal with a life of being bungled around in rickety cramped transport, penned in with barbed wire and dehorned/vaccinated/tb tested while utterly terrified in a crush all before my inevitable slaughter. Shooting my own meat means I know exactly how that animal died and means I personally can be sure to make it as stress free and humane as is possible. And I get to enjoy the sheer tranquility of the Glen and the joy of watching the animals behave totally naturally without knowledge of my presence in the process.
So no. Personally I think those who are willing to criticise people like me then go down to the supermarket and buy cheap battery reared chicken are the ones who need to look in the mirror. Vegetarian, or hunter. The middle ground is societally acceptable hypocrisy.
Furthermore if you think being a gamekeeper means you're likely to kill raptors... you're very much mistaken. The vast majority marvel at them as was the case with two sea eagles last week who gorged on our three deer entrails thanks to the keeper. It is just a minority of those on the grouse moors that let them all down.
Regarding fox hunting. There's no defence. It's abhorrent.
Post edited at 12:45
For many climbers, the names Moon and Moffatt are synonymous with hard sport climbing, hard bouldering and training. Ben Moon and Jerry Moffatt first met in their youth, in the early Eighties and together pushed the boundaries of hard climbing. Making many first ascents of hard routes and problems around the world, many of which were the first of their grade along the way.
