A 75-year-old California businessman and experienced hunter died after a sudden encounter with five elephants during a licensed hunting expedition in Gabon’s dense rainforest last Friday.

Fatal Encounter in the Rainforest

Ernie Dosio, owner of Pacific AgriLands winery in Modesto, California, was tracking a yellow-backed duiker with a professional guide when they unexpectedly came upon five forest elephant cows protecting a calf. The thick jungle vegetation blocked their view of the approaching animals until seconds before the attack. The elephants charged immediately, throwing the guide aside and trampling Dosio, who carried only a shotgun. A friend familiar with the incident confirmed the death would have been quick. The guide survived with serious injuries but lost his rifle in the chaos.

Lifetime Outdoorsman and Community Leader

Dosio had hunted since childhood and maintained an extensive trophy collection at his Lodi home, including specimens from previous African expeditions. Friends described him as a dedicated conservationist who conducted all hunts through proper licensing channels. The married father of two sons, Jeff and Blake, both involved in the family vineyard business, lived with his wife Betty in California’s wine country south of Sacramento. Tommy Whitman from the Lodi Elks Lodge praised Dosio’s charitable work supporting veterans, disabled individuals, and underprivileged children through monthly fundraising events.

Growing Risks for American Hunters Abroad

The incident marks the second fatal attack on an American hunter in Africa within nine months. Last August, 52-year-old Asher Watkins died after being gored by a buffalo in South Africa’s Limpopo Province. Gabon hosts roughly two-thirds of the world’s remaining forest elephant population, estimated at 95,000 animals. These elephants prove particularly dangerous when protecting calves in dense vegetation where visibility remains limited. The U.S. Embassy in Gabon is arranging to return Dosio’s remains to his family in California, where the hunting and business communities mourn his loss.