{"id":12576,"date":"2026-04-25T19:44:30","date_gmt":"2026-04-26T03:44:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/inedc.com\/26\/?p=12576"},"modified":"2026-04-25T19:44:30","modified_gmt":"2026-04-26T03:44:30","slug":"el-dorado-county-hunter-reflects-on-friend-killed-in-africa-safari-tragedy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/inedc.com\/26\/government\/el-dorado-county-hunter-reflects-on-friend-killed-in-africa-safari-tragedy\/","title":{"rendered":"El Dorado County Hunter Reflects on Friend Killed in Africa Safari Tragedy"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Cris Alarcon, InEDC Writer. April 25, 2026<\/p>\n

Inside a rural home in El Dorado County, the walls tell stories of Africa\u2014stories now shadowed by loss.<\/p>\n

Mounted trophies from Zimbabwe, Cameroon and beyond line the game room of El Dorado County District 4 Supervisor candidate Robert Dietz<\/a>, each representing decades of travel and shared experience. Among those memories are years spent alongside longtime friend and fellow hunter Ernie Dosio, a Lodi businessman who died April 17 2026 during a safari in Central Africa.<\/p>\n

Dosio, 75, was killed in Gabon after a reported encounter with a herd of elephants while pursuing a rare antelope species in dense rainforest. According to multiple reports, Dosio and his professional guide came across several elephants before the animals charged.<\/p>\n

Dietz, speaking from his El Dorado County home, said the circumstances were immediately familiar.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI came up on a bull elephant and I was less than 50 yards away and I didn\u2019t even see it until he flared his ears and came after me,\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Dietz said.<\/p>\n

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\u201cHe was trying to kill me. So I ran. We climbed up a tree.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Dietz noted that his encounter occurred in open savanna, where visibility is far greater than in the rainforest terrain where Dosio was hunting.<\/p>\n

\u201cI missed a bull elephant 50 yards away, where Ernie was in the rainforest,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The two men shared more than three decades of friendship through the Sacramento chapter of Safari Club International<\/span><\/span>, where Dietz said Dosio played a key role in supporting conservation and humanitarian efforts.<\/p>\n

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\u201cErnie donated a lot to the club. He was one of our biggest proponents,\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Dietz said.<\/p>\n

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\u201cHe helped fund those things for us. So he\u2019ll be dearly missed.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Beyond hunting, Dosio was widely known in California\u2019s agricultural sector. As owner of Pacific AgriLands, a Modesto-based company specializing in custom harvesting and farm management, he built a reputation for leadership and generosity. Colleagues described him as a steady supporter of farming organizations throughout Lodi, Modesto and the broader Central Valley.<\/p>\n

Those who knew Dosio say his contributions extended internationally. Dietz emphasized that safari expeditions often provided economic support to remote African communities.<\/p>\n

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\u201cWhen the hunters go there, we employ them as cooks, trackers, the maids,\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Dietz said.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe animal that we shoot feeds the village.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

He added that organized trips frequently included delivering donated clothing, shoes and school supplies to underserved villages.<\/p>\n

While the tragedy has left a deep impact on those close to him, Dietz said he finds some measure of comfort in how his friend spent his final days.<\/p>\n

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\u201cErnie was doing what he loved,\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Dietz<\/a> said.<\/p>\n

Authorities in Gabon have not released additional official details about the incident.<\/p>\n