Ernie Dosio’s home was decorated with mounts of exotic animal heads but was killed in a stampede of angry elephants earlier this month while stalking a rare deer in Africa
A millionaire trophy hunter has been killed by a herd of five angry elephants while hunting antelope.
Vineyard owner Ernie Dosio was trampled to death by the stampede as he stalked through a thick forest in central Africa.
The 75-year-old displayed a vast collection of exotic animal heads across trophy rooms in his home in Lodi, 30 miles south of Sacramento, California, including elephant, rhino, bear, buffalo, crocodile, lion, zebra and leopard. Dosio also shot and killed almost every species of buck in the US, including elk, moose and reindeer, which are also mounted to the walls of his private function rooms.
Dosio met his demise on April 17 when the veteran hunter was ambushed by a herd of elephants as he hunted a small forest antelope in the Lope area of Gabon. The hunt was on for a £30,000 shot at the secretive and elusive yellow backed duiker.
The father-of-two, who had a licence which allowed him to hunt dwarf forest buffalo in Gabon, but was only permitted a shotgun for the deer hunt, stood little chance against the herd of five as they guarded a young calf.
African elephants are the world’s largest living land animal, with females standing as high as 12 feet tall and weighing nearly four tons. They can also reach speeds of up to 25mph in a charge.
The elephants were well hidden in the dense undergrowth at the time, and appeared “as if from nowhere”.
Dosio’s shotgun was cast aside as the startled herd turned on him and his professional hunter. While the hunter was left seriously injured and lost his weapon in the thick bush during the attack, Dosio was brutally trampled underfoot and killed.
His body is now in the process of being repatriated by the US Embassy in Gabon to Lodi in California. He is survived by his long-term partner, Betty, and two children.
Dosio was the owner of the Pacific AgriLands Inc which has its own 12,000 acre vineyard in Modesto but specialises in providing management for local wine farms. His son, Jeff, is President of the company which produces 40 percent of Californian wines. His other son, Blake, is a farmer and reportedly also worked in the family business. The company supports most local vineyards, including the famous E&J Gallo wines.
A retired game hunter in Cape Town who knows the victim said: “Ernie has been hunting since he could hold a rifle and has many trophies from Africa and the US.
“Although many disagree with big game hunting all Ernie’s hunts were strictly licensed and above board and were registered as conservation in culling animal numbers.
“Ernie had booked a hunt for dwarf forest buffalo and duikers, in particular the yellow backed duiker, and under strict licensing laws he could not take along his own guns.
“The hunting company would supply a shotgun and cartridges for the duiker hunt.
“Whilst in the forest Ernie and his PH (professional hunter) surprised 5 forest elephant cows with young and feeling under threat the elephants immediately attacked them.
“The professional hunter was attacked first and seriously injured losing his rifle which was knocked from him and lost in the undergrowth leaving Ernie with his shotgun.
“I would rather not go into detail but it is safe to assume it would have been quick.
“Ernie was a very well-known and popular hunter in the US and in Africa and a very keen conservationist and he did a hell of a lot of charity work and was a really good guy.
“What happened has been deeply felt by many each side of the Atlantic” he said.
Safari company Collect Africa also confirmed the death of a client on April 17 in a brief statement, saying he and the professional hunter had encountered five elephant cows and a calf during a hunt for a yellow backed duiker.
Ernie was a life member of hunting group California Wildfowl and a mainstay in the Sacramento Safari Club. He also help the post of Great Elk in the Californian Central District Elks, a charitable group of patriotic Americans, known for supporting philanthropic programs such as military veterans, youth scholarships and disaster relief.
Lodi Lodge secretary Tommy Whitman said in a Facebook statement yesterday: “It is with a most heavy heart and sadness that I am reporting the passing of Ernio Dosio.
“May all of our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and loved ones. Ernie was Great Elk for 30 years and a pillar in our community who will be sorely missed”.
He added afterwards: “Ernie always had his hand in his pocket and would help out those who needed it be it war veterans or handicapped or underprivileged kids.
“He would never want recognition but he was always there with a loving heart.
“Ernie’s passion was hunting and he spent much of his time either hunting here in the USA or in Africa and most of his trophies are on display at his own trophy rooms.
“He will be really missed around here and was one of the real good guys” he said.
A representative of Pacific AgriLand inc added: “Nobody here at present is available to speak. That has to be down to his son Jeff when he is ready to say something to you.
“Ernie was very popular and Jeff is taking many calls as you can well imagine. It is a huge tragedy” she said.
A family friend said: “Ernie would hold a charity function there every month where food was served to members of the Elk lodges and upstanding citizens of the community.
“There would be judges, advocates and the heads of the local vineyards and big noises from industry and commerce and it was where all the local networking was done.
“It was always a huge fundraiser with money raised going to help those who needed it.
“Ernie with his big moustache was larger than life but did not show it off although he had money he was not one for the big house or fancy cars or the jet-set lifestyle.
“He was a just a farmer and good old country boy who loved to hunt and fish. There are not many in the US today who would have a trophy collection to match Ernie’s.
“The news of his death in Africa was like a bomb going off here. It has been said the elephants came out of nowhere. One thing is for sure he will get a huge send off.”
