California ground squirrel (Spermophilus beecheyl) management programs to reduce or prevent damage to agricultural crops and structures require a good deal of information to be effective, maximize benefits, and minimize costs. Analyzing this information can be a complex process. With inputs from many decision-making processes, the potential outcome is often uncertain. In addition, surprise plays an important role when unpredictable factors suddenly become important. We provide examples of California ground squirrel management systems and show how complexity, uncertainty, and surprise interact and lead to management decisions in damage prevention and control programs.