Resource managers seeking to implement long-term wildlife monitoring face complex decisions about species selection, metrics, and sampling methods needed to detect meaningful population changes. Our study developed alternative monitoring scenarios for small mammals in southern Texas, estimating the sampling effort required to detect population changes with sufficient statistical power. Based on extensive trapping data, we created four monitoring scenarios with varying levels of effort, demonstrating that more intensive sampling allows detection of smaller population changes. This work provides a framework for land managers to develop customized, rigorous monitoring programs tailored to their specific objectives.
