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A longtime California hunter who spent decades chasing big game across Africa was killed last month in a worst-case scenario that every experienced hunter understands. But hopes never happens.
According to reporting from ABC 10 Sacramento and KCRA 3, 75-year-old Ernie Dosio of Lodi was trampled by a herd of elephants on April 17 while hunting in Gabon’s dense rainforest.
Dosio wasn’t new to this.
Friends say he had made multiple trips to Africa over the years and was considered a seasoned big-game hunter. On this trip, he was reportedly tracking a rare antelope species when he and his guide suddenly encountered five female elephants and a calf.
That’s about as dangerous as it gets. The herd charged.
In thick rainforest cover, there’s no time to react and nowhere to go. Elephants can move up to 25 miles per hour, and once they commit, the outcome is often decided in seconds.
Dosio was killed in the encounter. For hunters who’ve spent time in Africa, the scenario is chilling. But not unfamiliar.
Robert Dietz, a longtime friend and fellow member of the Sacramento chapter of Safari Club International, told ABC 10 he could easily picture how it unfolded. He’s had his own close call with an elephant at under 50 yards.
“You don’t even see it until it’s too late,” he said, describing how a bull elephant once charged him, forcing him to run and climb a tree to survive.
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The difference here was terrain. Dietz pointed out that his encounter happened in open savannah. Dosio’s happened in dense rainforest: where visibility is limited, escape routes are few, and encounters happen fast.
Beyond hunting, those who knew Dosio say his trips were about more than just taking game.
According to ABC 10, he was a major supporter of Safari Club International efforts, helping fund trips that also supported local communities. Hunters often employ local trackers, cooks, and staff, and harvested animals are commonly used to feed villages.
KCRA 3 reports that friends and family also emphasized his generosity off the field, supporting children and communities connected to those trips and staying in close contact with friends right up until the day before his death.
“He was one of the most generous, helpful guys I’ve been around,” one friend said.
That’s the part that sticks.
Because while headlines tend to focus on the danger (and there’s no question this was a dangerous situation) those who knew him are focused on something else.
He was doing what he loved. And in the hunting world, that carries weight.
There’s always risk in the field, especially when you’re dealing with dangerous game. Most hunters understand that going in. It’s part of the respect for the animals and the environment.
Still, encounters like this are a reminder of just how quickly things can go sideways, even for experienced hunters. Dense cover. Close distance. A protective herd.
That’s a combination you don’t get a second chance against.
Dosio leaves behind a legacy in both the hunting and agriculture communities in California, along with a reputation for generosity that extended far beyond the hunt itself.
RIP Mr. Dosio.
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is a seasoned outdoorsman, lifelong hunter, and the kind of guy who’d rather track whitetails than scroll social media. As an editor for GunsAmerica, he’s got a sharp eye for spotting both solid gear and bad gun laws. Whether he’s deep in the woods or deep in editorial deadlines, Larry brings a no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is approach to firearms, hunting, and the great American tradition of self-reliance. If there’s a hot debate on gun rights or the latest in hunting tech, you can bet Larry’s got an opinion—and it’s probably backed up with both facts and field experience.
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