Ernie Dosio. A 75-year-old vineyard owner and avid big-game hunter from Lodi, California, was killed in an encounter with a group of elephants while on a hunting expedition in Gabon’s Lope-Okanda rainforest last Friday. Dosio and his guide came across five female elephants and a calf, which apparently startled and charged at the group, fatally crushing the veteran hunter, his guide suffered serious injuries, according to reports.

Background on the victim and his hunting record

Dosio was the owner of Pacific AgriLands Inc, a Modesto-based company managing 12,000 acres of vineyard land and offering services and equipment financing to wine producers. He was known locally for his contributions to agricultural programs and youth organizations in the Lodi area. A prominent member of the Sacramento Safari Club, Dosio built an extensive collection of hunting trophies over decades of guided expeditions in Africa and North America, including elephants and lions.

According to a retired hunter who knew Dosio and spoke with the UK’s Daily Mail, the hunter had been shooting big game since he could hold a rifle. All of his hunts were licensed and registered as conservation culling operations, the source said, “Although many disagree with big-game hunting, all Ernie’s hunts were strictly licensed and above board,” the source said.

Details on the incident and its aftermath

The safari operator Collect Africa confirmed Dosio’s death and reported that his guide was seriously injured during the encounter, and the company, based in Nigeria, has not released further details about the incident. The U.S. Embassy in Gabon is now coordinating the repatriation of Dosio’s remains to California, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

Dosio was hunting the yellow-backed duiker, a species of antelope, when the incident occurred — the unnamed hunter in Cape Town who spoke with a Spanish-language outlet added that Dosio’s hunt was booked under strict licensing laws. He was not allowed to bring his own guns and was provided with a shotgun and cartridges by the hunting company for the duiker hunt.

“I believe Dosio and his guide surprised the elephants,” the hunter said. “They attacked because they felt threatened. I would rather not go into detail, but it is safe to assume it would have been quick.”

Context on Gabon’s elephant population and hunting practices

Gabon is home to nearly 100. 000 wild elephants, including the critically endangered forest elephant — the country shelters about 95,000 of the species, representing most of the global population. Despite conservation efforts. Tens of thousands of elephants are killed annually worldwide,many illegally, for ivory or sport, according to the World Wildlife Fund, though the trophy-hunting industry is estimated to claim the lives of tens of thousands of wild animals each year.

Tommy Whitman, secretary of Lodi Lodge 1900 and Central District Scouting chairman, expressed his condolences on Facebook. “It is with a most heavy heart and sadness that I am reporting the passing of Ernie Dosio earlier this week,” he wrote. “May all of our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and loved ones. He will be sorely missed.”

Dosio’s death has been deeply felt by hunting circles in both the U.S. and Africa. The California-Hawaii Elks Association also confirmed his death on social media. He was described as a “very well-known and popular hunter” and a “keen conservationist” who participated in charity work.