I used a gel stain of a different brand recently on raw pine. It coated on very thick with a roller, thicker than what the pine absorbed. As it became tacky I had to use a paint thinner soaked cloth to wipe off the excess in order for it to dry properly.
What is the humidity like in the area where it is drying?
Being a stain it should still be taken in by the wood and reveal the grain, not be thick like acrylic paint.