Central Valley big-game hunter trampled to death by elephants

Ernie Dosio, a prominent Central Valley agricultural leader and avid big-game hunter, was killed after being trampled by elephants during a hunting trip in Africa last week, according to multiple news reports. 

The 75-year-old millionaire and vineyard tycoon was hunting a species of antelope in the Lope-Okanda rainforest of Gabon when he and his guide were suddenly trampled by a group of five female elephants, the reports said. 

The animals were apparently startled and charged at the group, fatally crushing Dosio, reports said. His guide was seriously injured and his condition is unknown.

Dosio owned Pacific AgriLands, a Modesto-based vineyard of more than 12,000 acres, and was known to contribute extensively to local agricultural programs and youth organizations in the Lodi area. 

Dosio was also well known in hunting circles as a seasoned big-game hunter with decades of experience on guided expeditions across Africa and North America. A member of the Sacramento Safari Club, Dosio built an extensive collection of legally obtained hunting trophies over the years, including elephants, lions and other large game, according to reports. 

Gabon is home to nearly 100,000 wild elephants, which are considered highly endangered and have been illegally hunted for sport for years. Illegal poaching has killed tens of thousands of elephants in the past decade, according to the World Wildlife Fund, and nearly 20,000 elephants are illegally killed each year for their ivory. 

Dosio’s family could not immediately be reached for comment.