Dosio, a 75-year-old vineyard owner, was hunting a yellow-backed duiker, a species of antelope, in the Central African country of Gabon when the incident occurred. While in the Lope-Okanda rainforest, he and his guide unexpectedly encountered five female elephants with a calf.
Originally from Lodi, California, Dosio had built an extensive collection of hunting trophies over the years, including animals such as elephants and lions.
According to the Daily Mail, safari operator Collect Africa confirmed the death of its client. The company also stated that the professional hunter leading Dosio sustained serious injuries during the encounter.
"Ernie has been hunting since he could hold a gun and has numerous trophies from Africa and the U.S. Although many disagree with big-game hunting, all of Ernie's hunts were strictly licensed and legal, conducted as part of conservation through population control," a friend of his told the Daily Mail.
The same source from Cape Town described the incident as a situation where the elephants were "startled" by the presence of Dosio and his guide.
Dosio was the owner of Pacific AgriLands Inc, which manages nearly 12,000 hectares of vineyards in Modesto and provides equipment services and financing to wine producers.
The forests of Gabon are known for providing a refuge for approximately 95,000 forest elephants, accounting for the majority of the world's population of this species, which is considered critically endangered.