Worst Fear with Suburban syruping

[Lola]

My worst fear has finally happened....Something other than sap in my bucket. Could have been worse, just root beer. But now that it's happened once, what next. Creepy as it's pretty close to my house as well.

[red dorakeen]

Just a couple days ago while driving along a local city park I thought the maples looked prime for tapping but immediately thought with so many people around there's bound to be a bad egg to screw with the sap.

[Lola]

Chocolate sauce today.

[wnybassman]

Chocolate sauce today.

Good grief. People suck.

[mainebackswoodssyrup]

Got anyway to inconspicuously mount a game camera?

[Run Forest Run!]

That's terrible Lola. If that was happening at my place I'd definitely stay up and catch them in the act. I'd find a window that overlooked the tapped tree and have my car keys in my hand. As soon as the culprit started across the lawn I'd hit the alarm button on the key fob. The shock of the alarm might stop the late night antics from reoccuring.

Best of luck.

[Lola]

I have a couple ideas on this, it's 2 trees at the edge of my wood and next to another wood. I think the kids are out partying due to the nice weather. I may put up a sign and a fake camera before investing in a real one. I've been up and out and about all those nights past midnight, doggie isn't doing her job :) Hopefully it's just a weekend thing. I could even take buckets down overnight weekends on those 2 trees.

[jrm]

Leave a note asking for ice cream. :-|

I figured it was going to be a squirrel or mouse. Never occurred to me that someone would screw with the buckets.

[Snappyssweets]

You are all so much nicer than I am.
I would rig traps. But then again I am not the most patient nor the most kind. Once shame on me Twice shame on you a third time. Someone may get injured and it wouldn't be me. :)

Good luck hope it all works out.
This is why I moved to the woods and in a few more years will be moving further away from so called civilization. :D

[Worthy]

Sorry to hear that Lola. I'm so naive, it hadn't yet occurred to me that people would mess with the buckets. I'm also in a suburban setting, and looking to recruit my whole neighborhood over time. Right now, only working with people that have backyard trees, as I'm still trying to get them comfortable with the idea. I imagine as I move into front yards, teenage boredom is likely to strike. Although it wouldn't matter this year...the weather's telling me that I'm done already!

[Lola]

I've always been slightly jaded - there are many trees I don't tap or ask about in my area because I think they could be compromised by teens, just sad that my 'safe place' has been invaded.

[saphound]

I would take a sharpie with me next time and write - Smile for the Camera- on the lids. They'll go crazy looking for it. ;)

[Sugarmaker]

Maybe contact the law enforcement folks to patrol there a little more often. If it snows track them home!
Regards,
Chris

[Wannabe]

I've heard of people in college towns that would go as far as tapping trees off a ladder so the drunk college kids wouldn't pi$$ in their buckets at night..

[Urban Sugarmaker]

The cigarette butt I found in one of my buckets was classic. Happened in 2015. If I tapped on my street I would definitely make the buckets high enough that a ladder was needed.

[Atgreene]

We've had one tank shot and buckets run over along roads, but not in years. People are too lazy now to get out of their vehicles.

[grapestomper]

I found two high school kids eyeballing some of my buckets yesterday. Made sure to write the license plate down.
They sped off when they saw me watching them.