No they are not, the first chapter you can side step the hunters, for the second it's kinda hard not to get pounced since you got to climb up the ladder and as for the 3rd chapter, again, you can side step the hunters but that only works if you look up which sadly a lot of people don't do. Granted there will be times where you are pinned by failed hunter or a charger or a smoker and can't help getting pounced so just hope your team can get the other hunters before they get you.
The only reason I see to Nerf the hunter is that people won't feel that guilty getting pounced repeatedly.