You can scout all year long as long as you use your woodsmanship to slip in and out without being seen or heard and leave the turkey calls at home so your not just educating the birds. I scout for turkeys during deer and elk, and elk and deer during turkey seasons. But since they will move in search of food, shelter, weather, predators, etc.; I always especially try and scout as close to the opener as possible. You definitely do not want to spend any of your hunting time doing scouting or trying to locate birds instead (definition of scouting - hunting without success).
