I can't read every post because I have to get back to work.But I have read like seven pages or so. My opinion is that there are many different facets that are part of a hunters competency.Some of them are more important than others and some while initially important become on automatic pilot as experience is gained.Experience is gained by doing and observing and applying those things intelligently going forward.Experience can be gained at different intervals of time by different people.Some people hunt their whole lives and never realize any degree of success because they are not using their mind to apply what they are seeing and make the right adjustments going forward.
I would expect that most of us assume many things that might not ever occur to a novice hunter.Bedding area,food source,wind direction,funnels and so on.The best way to gain experience fast is to question why.Why was that animal there at that time,what were the contributing factors? Why,Why,Why.keep questioning,keep reading ,keep scouting,keep talking to folks with more experience than yourself.
Time is not the element that has the most to do with experience,it is exposure to what you are trying to gain experience with,and the application of that knowledge.
Once you can kill on a regular basis without undue challenge,you no longer have to kill to gain that particular experience.You have done it "enough " times you can do it when you wish to or need to.
Observing/passing on deer especially bucks is a tremendous way to gain experience! See how they use an area,how they use other deer etc.Passing on bucks that don't meet your criteria help to calm you for when you have opportunity at a buck that does meet the criteria.
Quantity is not the measure of a great hunter.Putting mature bucks on the ground is!