Such a thing as a Sugar thats "too old"?

[tuckermtn]

I have an opportunity to hang buckets on some bigger (25"+), older sugars. Most are roadside or out in the open, full crowns, not been tapped in years. Anyone have expereince/opinions on whether or not to tap.

Also any potential draw backs (tree health, etc)

thanks

[forester1]

Those are probably the best trees you can get. Big flows, sweet sap, fast taphole healng.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

LOTS OF SAP AND CAN'T BE BEAT!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D

[Fred Henderson]

The sugar will be very high in them. Nice full crowns are the best trees to tap. They have had plenty of room to expand.

[royalmaple]

Don't put 1/2 gallon milk jugs on them. You'll be watering the ground for sure.

BIG buckets, or I like to use the bags, I get get almost 5 gallons of sap in them. Good for the big roadside trees.

[Sugarmaker]

tuckermtn,
That's all we have tapped for 40 years and we make some nice syrup.
We like the convenience of gathering too. Good luck with those big trees I think you will like how they run. Just like any other sugar bush you will find some that run better and some that are losers. Tap those a couple years and then paint mark the roots so as not to tap in the future. Move the buckets to better trees.
Chris