WHAT TO DO: BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER CONTROL
It cannot be stressed enough how important detection, monitoring, and record keeping are to effective ground squirrel control. A few minutes spent monitoring and recording is extremely helpful for immediate control, and also helps to save time and resources in long-term control. The information you gather will be helpful to you and any adviser who helps you.
DETECTION (Before)
Before you begin any control regime, spend a little time determining if your area has a potential ground squirrel problem. If squirrels are present, determine how severe the potential or actual problem is. You may always see ground squirrels, but your treatment method and the amount of materials you need will vary wether you see 10 squirrels in a given area, or 50 squirrels. It's simple... just pick a few areas where you see ground squirrels and count them. Then write it down. The important thing about this process is just to be sure that you use the same area and the same method every time. Counting squirrels in this methodical way before you begin any control method will also help to determine a baseline with which to compare effectiveness of control.
A good way to count is to scan an area from one end to another, counting squirrels along the way. You may not see the entire squirrel, but count it anyway. As long as you do not overlap your scan area, you don't have to worry about double counting squirrels. Remember, time of day, season, and weather conditions will influence activity.
| Increased Activity  | Decreased Activity  |
| morning and early evening | midday |
| Spring and Fall | Winter and Summer |
| mild sun | hot, cold, windy or rainy weather |
A few examples of ways to monitor your squirrel numbers:
Ex. 1 - Every time you drive up to the old barn, you count all the squirrels you see in the area.
Counting squirrels while slowly driving through their habitat.
Ex. 2 - You drive slowly out to the south pasture and count the squirrels along the road. 
Monitoring numbers from truck.
Ex. 3 - If you want to be more accurate... sit in one place with a pair of binoculars. Slowly scan along the ground over a preset area. Counting squirrels for several days will give you a good indication of the squirrel activity level before you being control.
You can print out a worksheet for record keeping. Include date, time, weather, place, and # of squirrels.
| Date | Time | Location | Weather | Number of squirrels* |
| 4/15/03 | 08:00 | South Pasture | Warm, clear skies | 38, 42, 42 |
| 4/16/03 | 08:10 | South Pasture | Overcast, cool | 15, 12, 16 |
| 4/17/03 | 08:05 | South Pasture | Warm, partially cloudy | 40, 35, 37 |
| X/X/XX | XX:XX | XXX | XXX | X,X,X |
*This person counted a few times to be more accurate .
- Be sure to document your counts!
- The best time to count is in the morning on a nice day because that is when the squirrels will be most active.
- Don't forget that California ground squirrels may hibernate in winter and estivate during the hottest part of the summer and will not be active at all. If you monitor during these times, the squirrels you see are likely a small portion of the squirrels that are actually present at the site.
MONITORING (During Control Program)
Maybe you have already conducted a control regime. But continually monitoring ground squirrel activity will still give you very helpful information that will aid in long-term ground squirrel control.
- It can tell you how effective your control was.
- It can tell you how much you may have to control in the future.
- And it can help you decide when to implement your next control regime.
Try to count squirrels as described in Detection (Before) at least once a month throughout the year. Key detection periods are early spring, late spring, and fall.
PERSONAL RECORD KEEPING (After) 
Record-keeping.
- For pesticides that are restricted use materials , certified pesticide applicators must retain legal records of rodenticides used.
- Even if records are not mandatory, you should keep written records of all control efforts, including the amount and type of pesticide used. Record the active ingredient and concentration as these vary among rodenticides and are important when reviewing past control efforts.
- Again, this information will be extremely helpful to you and advisers in determining how effective control was and for making plans for future control .