Ernie Dosio, 75, was hunting<\/a> yellow-backed duikers in Gabon when the deadly April 17 incident occurred.<\/p>\n Dosio, who kept an extensive collection of animal heads in his home, was trampled to death when he and his guide stumbled into five female elephants with a calf in the Lope-Okanda rainforest, the Daily Mail reported<\/a>.<\/p>\n Collect Africa<\/a>, the Nigerian-based safari operator, confirmed Dosio\u2019s death to the publication. The California-Hawaii Elks Association also confirmed Dosio\u2019s death on Facebook.<\/p>\n ROGAN BLAMES LIBERAL POLICIES FOR ALLOWING ‘MONSTERS’ TO RUN AMOK, EAT HOUSE PETS<\/a><\/p>\n Elephants stand at the edge of the forest at Pongara National Park near Libreville, Gabon. Ernie Dosio, a big game hunter, reportedly died last week after he was crushed by elephants while hunting in Gabon. (Christophe Van Der Perre\/Reuters)<\/p>\n “It is with a most heavy heart and sadness that I am reporting the passing of Ernie Dosio earlier this week,” Tommy Whitman, secretary of Lodi Lodge 1900 and Central District Scouting chairman, wrote in a statement.\u00a0<\/p>\n “May all of our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and loved ones. He will be sorely missed.”<\/p>\n Fox News Digital has reached out to the U.S. Embassy in Gabon and the safari company.<\/p>\n An unnamed hunter in Cape Town<\/a> who knew Dosio told the news outlet that Dosio had been “hunting since he could hold a rifle and had many trophies from Africa and the U.S.”<\/p>\n Elephants in a forest at Pongara National Park near Libreville, Gabon. (Christophe Van Der Perre\/Reuters)<\/p>\n “Although many disagree with big game hunting, all of Ernie\u2019s hunts were strictly licensed and above board and were registered as conservation culls to manage animal numbers,” he said<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n “Ernie had booked a hunt for dwarf forest buffalo and duikers \u2014 in particular, the yellow-backed duiker \u2014 and, under strict licensing laws, he could not take along his own guns.”<\/p>\n The hunting company would supply a shotgun and cartridges for the duiker hunt, he said.<\/p>\n The hunter added he believes Dosio and his guide surprised the elephants, who attacked<\/a> because they felt threatened.<\/p>\n A forest elephant roams through a clearing in Gamba, Gabon. (Guillem Sartorio\/Bloomberg)<\/p>\n “I would rather not go into detail, but it is safe to assume it would have been quick,” he said. “Ernie was a very well-known and popular hunter in the U.S. and in Africa and a very keen conservationist; he did a hell of a lot of charity work and was a really good guy. What happened has been deeply felt by many on both sides of the Atlantic.”<\/p>\n Dosio’s body is being repatriated to America<\/a> with assistance from the U.S. Embassy.<\/p>\n![\"Elephants](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/elephants-pongara-national-park-gabon-fox-news-001.jpeg\")
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