Ernie Dosio, 75, was tracking antelope when the deadly encounter unfolded in dense rainforest.
LODI, Calif. — Ernie Dosio, a 75-year-old California vineyard owner and longtime big-game hunter, died April 17 after elephants charged during a guided hunting trip in Gabon, according to reports and people familiar with the trip.
Dosio’s death has drawn attention in California and abroad because it involved a seasoned hunter, a remote Central African rainforest and an animal at the center of long-running fights over conservation and trophy hunting. The safari operator confirmed the death, and the U.S. Embassy in Gabon has been assisting with the return of Dosio’s remains to the United States.
Dosio was in the Lope area of Gabon, a heavily forested region known for wildlife, when the encounter happened. Reports said he and a professional guide were looking for a yellow-backed duiker, a forest antelope, when they came upon a group of elephants hidden in thick brush. The elephants charged, killing Dosio and seriously injuring the guide. Several accounts described the group as five female elephants with a calf. A hunter who knew Dosio said the pair likely surprised the animals at close range, leaving little time to react. “It is safe to assume it would have been quick,” the hunter said in an interview published after the attack.
The hunting trip was organized through Collect Africa, a safari operator that confirmed Dosio died during the expedition. The company said the professional hunter guiding him was injured, but few official details have been released about the guide’s condition, the exact location of the attack or how the group reached safety afterward. Reports said Dosio had been hunting under local rules and did not bring his own firearm because of licensing restrictions. One account said the hunting company supplied a shotgun and cartridges for the outing. No Gabonese agency had publicly released a full incident report as of the latest available updates.
Dosio was widely known in hunting and agricultural circles in Northern California. He owned Pacific AgriLands Inc., a Modesto-area vineyard land management company tied to about 12,000 acres of vineyards. Friends described him as a Lodi businessman, grape grower and frequent traveler who had taken part in hunting trips in Africa and the United States for decades. He was also connected to hunting groups, including the Sacramento Safari Club. Photos and past trip materials showed Dosio with trophies from previous hunts, a detail that became central to public reaction after news of his death spread.
People close to Dosio described him as generous and active in local charity work. Tommy Whitman, secretary of Lodi Lodge 1900, wrote that Dosio’s death came with “a most heavy heart and sadness” and said he would be missed by family and friends. Longtime friend Dax McCarty told KCRA that Dosio was “one of the most generous, helpful guys” he had known. Robert Deitz, a member of the Sacramento Safari Club, said Dosio had made multiple trips to Africa and was deeply involved in humanitarian efforts tied to his travels. Dosio is survived by his wife, Betty, and two sons.
The attack also revived debate over big-game hunting, which supporters describe as a regulated industry that can fund conservation and local economies, while critics call it harmful and unnecessary. Reports citing people familiar with Dosio’s hunting history said his trips were licensed and described as legal conservation hunts. Wildlife advocates, however, have long objected to trophy hunting involving vulnerable or rare animals, including elephants. The yellow-backed duiker, the animal Dosio was reportedly seeking, is native to Central and West African forests and is widely hunted for meat and sport.
Gabon is one of the most important countries for African forest elephants, a smaller and more elusive species than savanna elephants. Conservation groups have said the country holds a large share of the remaining forest elephant population, even as poaching, habitat pressure and human-wildlife conflict remain serious threats. Forest elephants move through thick vegetation and can be difficult to see until they are very close. Wildlife experts have said female elephants with calves can react aggressively when startled, especially in dense areas where both people and animals have limited space to retreat.
The episode came after other fatal wildlife encounters involving hunters and safari operators in Africa. In 2025, American hunter Asher Watkins was killed by a Cape buffalo during a guided hunt in South Africa. Days before Dosio’s death was reported, a safari park owner in South Africa was killed by an elephant during a walking tour. Those cases differ in setting and circumstances, but they show the danger of close contact with large wild animals, even for people with experience in the bush. In Dosio’s case, officials have not said whether any animal was later tracked or killed after the charge.
Dosio’s family has asked for time as arrangements continue. One relative said early reports of the attack included confusion and exaggeration, including conflicting claims about which animal was involved and whether another person had died. His son Jeff Dosio said more information was expected to come out about what happened. He also objected to the spread of private images from the family’s trophy room, saying he wanted to address the record with sincerity. Collect Africa has said the guide was injured, not killed.
As of the latest reports, Dosio’s remains were being prepared for return to California with help from U.S. officials. The next clear milestone is any formal statement from Gabonese authorities, the safari operator or the Dosio family on the final account of the April 17 attack.
Author note: Last updated 2026-04-25.