June 27, 2026

Our story began on the graduate student balcony at Auburn University's College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment in October 2021. Catherine had just moved to Auburn and was starting her thesis, which was supposed to use data Jace had collected for one of her chapters. What began as a quick conversation about deer data quickly turned into a deeper discussion about family, life, and Jace's next adventure—moving to Iowa to be closer to family and work as a Deer Research Specialist for the DNR. From that moment on, we stayed in touch—mostly via occasional emails about deer disease research, with Jace generously sharing data and insights Catherine needed for her research, but also sending updates about his beloved dog, Caddis. For more than a year, our connection remained mostly professional, with Jace sending pictures of Caddis at any opportunity. Then, in February 2023, we both attended the Southeast Deer Study Group conference in Baton Rouge, Louisiana (strategic on Jace's part as a midwestern deer biologist). At the conference, the spark between us grew stronger. What began as catching up about deer research quickly turned into realizing how easy it felt to simply be around each other. We went our separate ways, and within a week, Jace asked Catherine to visit Iowa in March. He jokingly warned her that Iowa was full of corn and she probably wouldn’t like it. That trip in March 2023 was the start of our future. We spent the weekend eating hot dogs, hiking Ledges State Park, and spending time with Caddis. Shortly after, Caddis, who had been part of our earliest conversations, passed away tragically. While heartbreaking, that loss drew us even closer. In June 2023, we brought home a new bird dog pup, Otto, marking the beginning of our future hunting adventures. Over the next several months, our lives became more intertwined—long phone calls nightly, visits across states, and the steady realization that we didn’t want to navigate life without each other. In March 2024, Catherine moved to Iowa permanently, and from that moment on, our lives became fully shared—workdays, weekends, adventures, and quiet evenings with Otto. What once had been a professional connection had grown into a deep partnership built on love and shared passions. We had found in each other a best friend, a teammate, and a constant reminder that life’s greatest adventures aren’t always planned—they’re found in the people you meet along the way. In October 2024, we had a Wisconsin grouse hunting trip planned with friends from Iowa. What Catherine didn’t know was that Jace had shipped her engagement ring and planned to propose at Levis Mound in Neillsville, Wisconsin. Now, as we look ahead, we are grateful for the unlikely beginnings on that Auburn balcony, the conference that changed everything, and the journey that brought us together. We can’t wait for the next chapter of our story—side by side, surrounded by family, friends, happy dogs, and adventures still to come.