Hours are a poor way but unfortunately one of the only ways to try and measure experience. I know 20,000hr+ pilots who can't tell you much about airspaces and wouldn't feel comfortable flying into a class B airport yet have no problem flying 10 feet off the ground while going under power lines dusting fields. At the same time I know people with 500hrs of flight time that handle Class B and C airports like a champ.

Hours don't equal experience. Experience equals experience. Saying someone is better because they have more hours is just someone stroking their ego. It's all about what you've flown, where you were flying it, and what type of flying you were doing in it. Bush pilot vs mainline which is better? Just depends on the application of the pilot.