What's not legal? Having a handgun with you? In Virginia its 100% legal. In North Carolina (where I hunt a lot) its legal on private land not sure about public land.

Is the NC hunting in East, Central, or West? I do most of my hunting in NC on the Eastern plain. Sampson and Duplin County.

In Virginia, I'd spend some time looking around for deer trails. Set up along the edge of one of the clearings and wait for dusk.