Can you tap maple trees on public land in Indiana?

"Except as authorized by a license, a person must not ... Damage or collect a plant or pick flowers" within a DNR property; the exemptions are berries, fruits, nuts, fallen cones, mushrooms, leaves and greens (312 IAC 8-2-10(3)). Drilling a maple is damaging a plant, so tapping a state forest tree needs a DNR license — and we found no DNR license or permit program for maple tapping (not confirmed that a property manager would issue one; ask the state forest office).

The same 312 IAC 8-2-10 rule covers state parks, reservoirs and fish and wildlife areas. Nature preserves are stricter: even berry and nut picking is barred unless the preserve sits inside a state park, reservoir property, fish and wildlife area or state forest (312 IAC 8-2-10(4)).

The Hoosier National Forest's forest-products page requires a permit for firewood, has suspended all plant digging, allows personal-use gathering of fruits, nuts and mushrooms (commercial use needs a special-use permit), and says nothing about maple sap or tapping. The default federal rule prohibits damaging or removing any tree or forest product without authorization (36 CFR 261.6); ask a district office (not confirmed).

Forests in Indiana: Hoosier National Forest

Town, county and roadside trees

County and city parks, park boards and street trees need permission from the local body that owns them. The Hoosier National Forest's page puts it plainly: collecting on land without permission is trespassing and theft. No local tapping programs were surveyed.

Private land you don't own

Get the owner's permission in writing. We did not open Indiana's timber-trespass or criminal-mischief statutes in this session, so no Indiana-specific damages rule is stated here (not confirmed). UVM Extension's annotated sugarbush lease is a usable template for a written agreement.

Lease rates seen in the sources: No Indiana-specific survey was opened. UVM Extension's 2019 northeastern survey found private rents most commonly $1.00–$1.24 per tap per year ("Maple Rental Rates," January 2020).