Ernie Dosio, a 75-year-old vineyard owner from California, died after being trampled by a herd of African forest elephant during a $40,000 hunting trip in Gabon on April 17. He and his professional guide accidentally encountered elephant cows with a calf in a rainforest in the Lopé-Okanda National Park, triggering a defensive attack. The guide was injured, while Dosio, reportedly left with only a small-game shotgun, was killed.
There are conflicting reports about the incident. Early information given to the family was inconsistent, including an incorrect claim that buffalo caused the death. His ex-wife, Rinda Butler Dosio, expressed frustration over poor communication and unclear details, while some accounts differ on whether the guide survived.
Dosio leaves behind two sons, Jeff and Blake, who continue running the family agricultural business, Pacific AgriLands. He was a prominent figure in California’s wine industry and active in hunting and conservation communities, remembered by friends as charitable, community-minded, and passionate about hunting and outdoor life.
The U.S. Embassy is assisting in returning his body to California.
