IDing Tap Holes

[OrangeAgain]

It's time for pulling spouts. Does anyone ID tap holes to make for quick finding them when tapping the next year?

If yes, what do you ID with? Spray paint?

[TapTapTap]

As a certified organic producer, I'm not allowed to use synthetic paint on my trees. Perhaps organic paint made from berries is ok but wouldn't be recognizable by the next tapping season.
Ken

[mdm1]

I have wondered the same thing. Would be very interested in replies. Thanks for asking the question.

[ecolbeck]

I think this is a great question. Seems like having a way to quickly locate last year's taphole would greatly speed up next year's tapping and would promote best use of the surface area of the tree.

[JoeJ]

In the fall after the leaves are off the trees, I have marked my spring tap holes with a spot of yellow spray paint for 18 years. A year after I started marking the old tap holes, I thought why not mark next season's tap hole with orange spray paint. I mark last season holes and next season's holes at the same time. When I walk up to a tree in my woods, it is very easy for me to choose the next season drill spot. This years newest tap hole is located in the orange paint spot and you can quickly move far enough away from that hole to mark next season's hole. The paint spots on the trees are a great guide that forces you to tap on all 4 sides of the tree and spread the tap holes all around the taping zone. The paint stays very visible on the trees for 5 or 6 years and when I see a fading spot I just give them another shot of paint.

It is a little time consuming to do 3,200 trees, but there is no better way to spend a few nice fall days than walking through your woods painting tap holes and scooping out what work needs to be done. Next season's orange spot on the trees makes it a lot easier when taping in February in a snow storm. The decision of where to tap for next season was made in warm weather when I wasn't worried about hitting an old
tap hole or on old sap streak.

Joe

[Z/MAN]

I marked my tap holes for the first time yesterday. I really struggle to figure out which hole is last years. I used push pins that you insert into corkboard. Next spring when I find the pin, I will drill my new hole and move the pin to the new one. Hopefully a fast and easy way to keep them marked and make my tapping job much easier and faster.