Millionaire trophy hunter trampled to death by pack of elephants in central Africa

A 75-year-old millionaire from California was trampled to death by five elephants while hunting antelope in central Africa.

Ernie Dosio owned and operated a 12,000-acre vineyard in Modesto. He enjoyed hunting large exotic animals — including elephants, rhinos, bears, buffalo, crocodiles, lions, zebras and leopards — and featured their heads and bodies in his home. He also had hunted and killed nearly every species of deer in the U.S.

Mr. Dosio was taking part in a $40,000 hunt in the Lope-Okanda rainforest in Gabon for small forest antelope last Friday when he and his professional guide stumbled upon five female elephants and a calf that were startled and charged at the duo.

Due to strict licensing laws, he couldn’t bring his own guns and was armed with only a shotgun supplied by the hunting company. His guide was seriously injured, losing his gun, before Dosio was trampled to death.

Mr. Dosio was a member of the Sacramento Safari Club and held a lifetime membership in the hunting organization California Wildfowl.

He is survived by his partner, Betty, and two children.