Seventy-five-year-old American trophy hunter Ernie Dosio was killed in Gabon after a herd of African forest elephants charged during a hunting expedition organized by Collect Africa. Dosio, who ran Pacific AgriLands and lived in Lodi, California, had been hunting a yellow-backed duiker when he and guides encountered five female elephants and a calf. Witnesses say one hunter was thrown and another was trampled; Dosio is reported to have died in the incident and is survived by two adult sons. The death comes amid ongoing U.S. debate over policies on importing hunting trophies.
75-Year-Old American Trophy Hunter Ernie Dosio Trampled to Death by Elephants in Gabon
elephant
An American trophy hunter, 75-year-old Ernie Dosio, was killed in Gabon after a small herd of African forest elephants charged during a hunting expedition, according to reports.
Outfitter Collect Africa — which organized the trip, reportedly costing about $40,000 — confirmed Dosio’s death. Dosio was a Northern California vineyard owner who ran Pacific AgriLands, which manages a 12,000-acre vineyard near Modesto; he lived in Lodi and is survived by two adult sons.
The Daily Mail reported that Dosio and his guide were pursuing a yellow-backed duiker, a small and elusive forest antelope, when they unexpectedly encountered five female African forest elephants and a calf. The elephants were concealed in dense undergrowth and allegedly emerged suddenly.
"The startled elephant herd immediately charged Mr Dosio and his professional hunter," the report said.
According to accounts of the incident, the initial charge threw one professional hunter, who was carrying a high-powered rifle. Another hunter — described as carrying only a shotgun — was severely injured and was reportedly trampled. Local authorities and the outfitter have confirmed the fatality but have provided limited public details about the exact sequence of events.
Friends and fellow big-game hunters told The Daily Mail that Dosio had hunted since childhood and had amassed a large collection of mounted trophies. An acquaintance said that, although trophy hunting is controversial, Dosio’s hunts were legally licensed and some were carried out as part of population management programs.
The incident also arrives amid ongoing U.S. policy debates over the importation of hunting trophies. In 2017, the Trump administration created an advisory committee to review federal rules on importing elephant heads, hides and other hunting souvenirs; that committee included several big-game hunters and was later dissolved in 2020 amid legal challenges. Earlier in his term, President Trump reversed an Obama-era restriction that had limited imports of elephant trophies from Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Reports of the killing were carried by media outlets including The Daily Mail and Mediaite. Collect Africa and local officials are the primary sources confirming the death; further details may be released by authorities as investigations continue.
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