Yea, farming mats off mobs is probably the worst part of crafting/gathering. Especially when the mob you are farming drops multiple types of items and seems to drop that stuff at much higher rates than the skins (here's looking at you dhalmels and dragons in Heavensward lands).

At least we don't have to deal with hq mats anymore. I still remember trying to get those, and sometimes had hundreds of the regular items before one would drop.