Asking a land owner for permission to tap

[plummaple]

Hello, Newbie here. I absolutely love this website. I am just starting off and do not have any land of my own to tap maples. For the last 4 years, I have been using trees in my local woods. The problem is that, I am not sure who owns the land and I have had some trouble with kids taking my spiles. I also feel like I am stealing from someone when I go back to gather the sap. My question is:

Does anyone have any ideas on how the right way to ask a farm owner permission to tap the trees? Do they typically feel that you are injuring the trees? Should I pay something to the owner? Your thoughts are much appreciated.
Thank you

[royalmaple]

Easiest way to figure out who owns the land is to go to your local town office and look at the property maps then trace back to who owns it. Definately get permission.

And I don't think I'd start out with, .....for the last 4 years I have been tapping your trees and I just wanted to make sure it was ok...

Might not be a good ice breaker.

Most people around me could care less, and just look forward to getting some syrup for allowing me to do so. But are not greedy by any means, at least my experience anyway.

[tapper]

Plum,

Many if not most of the members on this site tap trees other than thier own including me. I have always asked to tap trees and never been told no. I have had landowners I dont even know invite me to tap thier trees. To me the biggest pain is asking year after year even though many have told me dont ask just come tap. I dont feel right doing that because things change. I pay the landowners with syrup. They insist on paying for the syrup but I dont let them. I have had nothing but positive experiences tapping other peoples trees but would still like to have my own.

[tuckermtn]

Ditto to what Matt and Tapper have said...I had two landowers invite me come tap their huge roadside sugars this year...turned out to be my best trees for sap quantity and quality...

if you want to get more formal for an agreement with a landower, there is a sample "lease" document in the back of the new Maple Syrup Producers Manual...

-tuckermtn

[Jim Brown]

plummaple; We live about 1 hour north of you .Send me a Pm and we will talk. We lease 100 acres. Looking forward to talking to you
Jim

[maple flats]

I have been offered 3 different parcels to tap and did not ask, they offered. I tapped 2 of these, the 3rd was hit too hard by FTC. I will be looking for more, in the bigger bush range and will be asking for that. They are right, I dentify the woods or land you want to tap and then go to the county tax map department. There you can identify the owner. Then my plan is to take a bottle or jug of syrup to offer and knock on their door and ask. The size I offer will depend on the tap potential of what i am looking at. Good luck!