PJ -
I used to own "Virginia Outdoorsman" and heard all kinds of stories in VA but a couple of years ago some character shot what he thought was a "large deer" in South West VA ..drove around showing it off and finally was stopped by Fish & Game..It was a small cow elk...
Sad part is there was NO LAW that stated you could not shoot an Elk in VA, so he received no fine..Elk migrated from Kentucky
Maybe you will not have to go far at all!