Does anyone know the regulations with hunting rails and the type of shot you must use? One guy told me you do not need steel and lead was ok. ( he said its the same for snipe) Another fella told me you had to use non-toxic shot. I didnt find anything about it on the DNR website.
Disregard, Just found this.
The migratory bird hunting seasons for marsh hens (rails) and teal will soon open.
The two-part season for marsh hensincluding king, clapper, sora and Virginia railsand common moorhens and purple gallinules will be from Sept. 15-Sept. 20 and Oct. 13-Dec. 15. The daily bag limit for king and/or clapper rails is 15 birds per hunter and moorhens and/or purple gallinules are 15 birds per hunter. The daily limit for sora and/or Virginia rails is 25 birds per hunter. Shooting hours are 30 minutes before sunrise until sunset. Lead shot is legal for rail hunting, except that non-toxic shot is required on National Wildlife Refuges.
The South Carolina early season for teal will be Sept. 19-27. The daily bag limit is four birds. Shooting hours are sunrise until sunset (not 30 minutes before sunrise, as with other migratory bird seasons). Nontoxic shot is required for all waterfowl hunting.
Not a Caries in the World
You got it, non-toxic shot is NOT a requirement. Be certain you are shooting marsh hens, to a new hunter they can look an awful lot like some other shore birds.
Does anyone know a reliable resource for exactly where you CAN and CANNOT hunt for rails. I didnt have any luck with DNR as they were not of much help with the boundaries - specifically in morris island/clark sound/folly beach/james island area. For example, I believe Morrris Island itself lies in the city but what about the marsh behind it and on the other side of lighthouse creek behind folly?
We go behind goat island and be sure you’re 300 yds from any house or building. That’s it. And since you’ll be shooting horizontally, check your background. Most of the fisherman leave after the first shot. 
KeyWest 1720cc 90 Ymha
Be sure take a bag of rocks to throw at them so they will fly.