Accurately estimating Victoria's feral pig population is "really hard", according to Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) invasive species project officer Jonathan Melling.
Mr Melling said there could be up to 20,000 feral pigs in Gippsland alone or one to two pigs per square kilometre across east Victoria.
However, he said there was no way of being certain.
He said it would take five years of ramped-up surveying to get an accurate estimate on numbers.
He said there had been some expansion of VIC feral pig ranges over the past three years, as favourable weather led to strong vegetation growth and the formation of satellite populations.
"I think we're on top of them now though," he said.
"We've been able to control those satellite numbers."
Mr Melling headed the DEECA north east VIC pig control project which had received funding to cover pig population surveying and trapping, into mid-2025.
So far, he said the project had trapped 220 feral pigs with a total of 800 spotted in camera traps.
However, he said this included animals who could have been spotted multiple times.
The project focused on key feral pig locations around Corryong, Myrtleford and Mansfield but was active across all of north east VIC.
Mr Melling said autumn was prime time for feral pig trapping.
"Autumn is the classic period of control for pigs," he said.
"They roam a little bit more and travel more for food."
The DEECA officer said the dry autumn vegetation made the pigs easier to spot and monitor.
He said the pests became more desperate for food and could therefore be lured to traps using bait.
Mr Melling said fruiting plum trees were an example of such a tactic and they were being used in north east Victoria.
"The tasty and nutritious fruit is a known favourite of feral pigs searching for food," he said.
"As ripe fruit drops to the ground, feral pigs will routinely come back to the same area night after night creating a perfect spot to set up motion cameras, feeder stations, and traps.
"The plums are supplemented with a feed mix of fermented grains and an attractant to further entice feral pigs into the traps.
"Once the whole drove is observed to be regularly feeding, traps are set to trigger, thereby maximising the efficacy of different control methods."
Mr Melling said his team was using cage traps which they could monitor with cameras, remotely.
After a period of observation, the traps were set and used to capture the maximum number of pigs.
He said the pigs were dispatched humanely and immediately, in the bush.
Mr Melling said sows were the main trapping target.
He explained that sows can have up to three litters a year, of up to nine piglets, whereas boars were generally solitary and lower in number.
"You can imagine how easily they multiply," he said.
"The sows can put a lot of numbers in."
Mr Melling said it was "improbable" that VIC's wild pig population would ever be eradicated as there were feral animals across Australia.
"We just want to protect our environmental and farm assets," he said.
He said once a farmer notifies the project of pigs in their area, they would act immediately and begin monitoring and trapping.
"We'd love to hear from them," he said.
The environmental assets the feral pigs affected include orchids, bulbs and even ground bird nests.
Mr Melling said the pigs were fond of alpine bogs which they "destroy completely".
Another factor which worried the DEECA officer was the spread of disease.
He said VIC's wild pigs could become a vector for Japanese encephalitis and swine fever.
"They're the main ones that could affect our piggeries," he said.
"We're really trying hard to keep it from southern states.
"It would decimate the industry."
Farmers and landowners who spotted feral pigs were asked to contact Mr Melling and colleagues on 136 186 or email feral.pigs@deeca.vic.gov.au.
