When you tap maple trees, should you cut through the bark and into the wood, or just partly through the bark?

Question

Why should I do this?

Answer 1

You have to get through the bark. It works well to tape off the depth of the tap on the drill and drill just short of the tape.

Answer 2

yes you must cut through the bark into the wood, when you place in the spile it has to be anchored in wood so you can hang the collecting bucket on it. the sap itself comes from the inner layer of the bark.