You can tell, it depends on the situation, the terrain, the birds, there are so many variables. I love to listen in the morning, those gobbles just........whew. Ok, but what happens up in the day is very important, too. Yes, we all want that bird to fly down, call to him, he comes right in....bam, we go take pictures, pluck, singe, put him in the cooler and head for home, all before 7:30.
Yeah, that doesn't happen very often......So, what are you going to do ---- when he's henned up and heading the other way? What are you going to do at 11:00, and you still haven't killed him? Where do they like to hang out and go about their day? They don't just leave the woods and go for breakfast, they don't go lay up somewhere like a huge buck. They are foraging for food, as much as the gobbler wants sex, he still needs some food. He also needs that female attention, he likes to be with hens. Now, early in the season, he may hang with other gobblers, later in the season, very rarely will you see two major longbeards hanging together. Now, this is in my part of Bama, it could be totally different somewhere else, so don't even take that as all knowing.
You ask most turkey hunters ---- they kill gobblers way after 8:00 ---- You either have to trust your one spot and "hope" he comes back looking for that hen --- get in front of the group ---- or know where the group is headed and be there ahead of them. I've killed a lot of turkeys knowing where they want to be and just set up there first thing in the morning. Why, I may have dealt with that old bird, know he likes to gobble his head off, loves talking to me, and still is going to head the other way. Fine, I ain't playing that game too many mornings, I'll wait you out and ambush you where I know you want to be about 10:00 or 11:00 or 12:00. Some birds aren't killable, for me, until the afternoon, I'll kill him heading back to the roost.
Now, you have to be ever present in your scouting, you can't just go around busting birds, talking loud, walking and breaking sticks, your scouting must be: purposeful, just like you are hunting, quiet, stealthy, the birds not knowing you are there --- yep, a journal was mentioned, use one --- You can't take someone that loves to talk scouting for birds, they get bored, won't shut up, that ain't scouting, that's just fellowship, meet him on another day at waffle house, don't take him/her scouting.
