As far as I'm concerned, it's the quality of the experience and yearsthat matters. When I say quality I mean those who go out and hunt by themselves and learn what works and what doesn't.
I'm sorry but I do not put too much credence in "I've been hunting 7 years" when the young man is only 15 year old! Your not hunting, someone else isTAKING you hunting.
Don't get me wrong, it's good to be taught, my father showed me how to hunt and took me hunting with him. I started out very young about asfar back as I can remember. I thought I knew what I was doing back then too. But It's when I went off to college in 1983 (18 years old) and started hunting on my own did I realize I hada lot to learn!
Some things can only be learned through trial and error and the latest and greatest books or videos while containing great and usefull information will not always work in your situation sometimes it can only be figured out by putting boots on the ground and doing it.
It's those folks that have "been there and done that" that I tend to listen to more intently.
it's generally pretty easy to tell someones age by their info.... there's just a point in a thread where you know it's a "kid" or a "newbie".
Ain't that the truth.
There is a lot of information to be learned on this site from young and old alike and I am still learning every day and from each and every one of you but there is just no way of getting around experience, it only comes with time in the field.