What could help hunts is regardless of damage output players could get a "bait" item that they can use to spawn a unique hunt creature that is a unique fight for up to 8 players much like treasure maps.

Heck maybe to spice it up more "baits" could be found in treasure maps, fates, leves, dungeon chest etc. Expand the concept of Hunts to a grander scale, keep the "timed" spawns as they are but add in unique methods of spawning them, not just a straight up trade x bait to y spot but perhaps having to use x bait in the right spot at the right moment and if you choose wrong guess what you lose that bait and have to try again to figure out the proper method to spawn it.