I don't do it religiously and even when I am on a schedule, it is only once per week. I am not doing it for cosmetic reasons or to put on mass but just to maintain strength in my back and lower body as I age. I just want to be able to drag deer and carry a heavy pack through the mountains. I never really feel knee pain while squatting. Sometimes I get a little bit of discomfort below my knee cap after or a day later. It subsides quickly and is no big deal.
What started to become a problem was the outside of my knees. About 3 years ago, I was tracking a shot bear through the woods along a steep mountain side. After covering at least 10 miles and side-hilling several of them over rock slide, I started to get serious pain in the outside of my knees.
Obviously I am only getting the thinnest of slices of what you're doing in real life, but based on the above your knees get sore after side-hilling for 10 miles. No schIt.
Also, you're trying to address an high end endurance issue with once/week strength training (squats). Good luck with that.
If you want to hunt for miles and hours you have to be willing to put the miles and hours in. Look at at what Mtwarden does and do that.
Forgive me my nonsense, as I also forgive the nonsense of those that think they talk sense. Robert Frost
