Time of Year	Efficacy	Cost of Materials	Labor	Restrictions
Habitat Modification/ Biological Control

Habitat modification generally means physically removing or adding things that change the habitat for ground squirrels. There are 4 basic methods of altering a squirrel's habitat; their effect on control appears limited. Another more efficient method of habitat modification is burrow destruction.

Eliminating piles

• Burn brush piles and eliminate trash piles immediately. Squirrels will often use these for cover if they are available. However, removing these piles is no guarantee that you will have any affect on the population. Squirrels infest areas with no cover without a problem.

Vegetative Cover

• It has been found that squirrels generally prefer open areas to areas with dense vegetation. However, studies that have looked at planting dense vegetative cover have not shown much success in control.

*Flood Irrigation

• Flood irrigation, as opposed to sprinkler or drip irrigation, may discourage some squirrels from burrowing in the flooded area. It will not eliminate them.

Cultivation

• Land under frequent tillage, such as for crops, may deter California ground squirrels from inhabiting in the tilled area. However, that will not keep them from inhabiting the area immediately surrounding the land. And it will not keep the squirrels from foraging in that area for food.

Biological control, or predation, is also considered a method of habitat modification. Many predators eat ground squirrels, including hawks, eagles, rattlesnakes, and coyotes. However, in most cases they are not effective in keeping ground squirrels populations at acceptable levels, and introducing these animals may have other repercussions. Dogs may keep squirrels out of small areas, but are not effective in controlling large squirrel populations.