I feel the best time to hunt birds, is when they are in a particular area...
Unlike the morning I have not noticed any golden PM hours. My approach is get out there when time permits and try and find a hot bird. You just never know !
Yep,...learning the habits of the turkeys you are hunting is the best way to figure out when the optimum times are to be focusing your hunting efforts in a given location. For instance, hunting a roosting area during the middle of the day for turkeys that might be hanging around their feeding areas a half-mile away is a poor strategy. On the other hand, hunting that same feeding area when the birds are traveling to and from their roost site is just as bad a strategy. The best strategy is to hunt either area when the birds are most likely to be there.
In answer to the initial question, I would say later afternoon is better than early afternoon, assuming you are focusing your efforts in the right places. If you are doing that, it is just a matter of persistence,...combined with the right hunting/strategy for that particular place.
It is possible to raise the interest of a gobbler at any time during the day,...if you are there when he decides he is in the mood,...hence, the need for persistence. However, from my own personal experience, I would separate my preferred hunting times into three categories:
Best: first light until noon
Second best: 4:00 (afternoon) until dark
Third best: noon until 4:00