<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0000893538-04-000032
<TYPE>3
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20040122
<FILING-DATE>20040202
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>ST MARY LAND & EXPLORATION CO
<CIK>0000893538
<ASSIGNED-SIC>1311
<IRS-NUMBER>410518430
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>1776 LINCOLN ST STE 1100
<CITY>DENVER
<STATE>CO
<ZIP>80203
<PHONE>3038618140
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>WILSON KEVIN E
<CIK>0001277437
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>3
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-31539
<FILM-NUMBER>04560683
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>C/O ST MARY LAND & EXPLORATION
<STREET2>580 WESTLAKE PARK BLVD #600
<CITY>HOUSTON
<STATE>TX
<ZIP>77079
<PHONE>9184887600
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>C/O ST MARY LAND & EXPLORATION
<STREET2>7060 S. YALE #800
<CITY>TULSA
<STATE>OK
<ZIP>74136
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>3
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>primary_doc.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>3</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2004-01-22</periodOfReport>

    <noSecuritiesOwned>0</noSecuritiesOwned>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000893538</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ST MARY LAND &amp; EXPLORATION CO</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>SM</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001277437</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>WILSON KEVIN E</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O ST MARY LAND &amp; EXPLORATION</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>7060 S. YALE #800</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>TULSA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>OK</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>74136</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Senior Vice President</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>4113</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>17.5</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>1997-12-31</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2007-12-31</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>780</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>12.375</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>1999-12-31</value>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2009-12-31</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>5859</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>33.3125</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2000-12-31</value>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2010-12-31</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>13250</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>15.93</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2001-09-30</value>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2011-09-30</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>2952</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
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            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2001-12-31</value>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2011-12-31</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>5903</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>21.71</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2002-03-31</value>
                <footnoteId id="F7"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2012-03-31</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>5902</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>24.06</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2002-06-30</value>
                <footnoteId id="F8"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2012-06-30</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>5902</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>23.9</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2002-09-30</value>
                <footnoteId id="F9"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2013-09-30</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>5291</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>25</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2002-12-31</value>
                <footnoteId id="F10"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2012-12-31</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>5291</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>26.78</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2003-10-22</value>
                <footnoteId id="F11"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2013-10-22</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>765</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>25.32</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2003-09-30</value>
                <footnoteId id="F12"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2013-09-30</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>4086</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>27.3</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2003-06-30</value>
                <footnoteId id="F13"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2013-06-30</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>5290</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>25.05</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2003-03-31</value>
                <footnoteId id="F14"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2013-03-31</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>5290</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Includes shares from the Company Employee Stock Purchase Plan that Mr. Willson has aquired since before becoming a reporting individual.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The Option is 100% vested.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">The Option is 100% vested.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">The Option is 100% vested.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">The Option was vested 25% upon grant and vested in additional 25% equal installments on September 30, 2002, 2003 and 2004.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">The Option was 25% vested upon grant and vests in additional 25% equal installments on September 30, 2002, 2003 and 2004.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F7">The Option was 25% vested upon grant and vests in additional 25% equal installments on September 30, 2002,2003 and 2004.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F8">The Option was 25% vested upon grant and vests in additional 25% equal installments on September 30, 2002, 2003 and 2004</footnote>
        <footnote id="F9">The Option was 25% vested upon grant and vests in additional 25% equal installments on September 30, 2003, 2004 and 2005.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F10">The Option was 25% vested upon grant and vests in additional 25% equal installments on September 30, 2003,2004 and 2005.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F11">The Option was 25% vested upon grant and vests in additional 25% equal installments on September 30, 2004,2005 and 2006.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F12">The Option was 25% vested upon grant and vests in additional 25% equal installments on September 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F13">The Option was 25% vested upon grant and vests in additional 25% equal installments on September 30, 2004,2005 and 2006.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F14">The Option was 25% vested upon grant and vests in additional 25% equal installments on September 30, 2004,2005 and 2006.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Teresa B. Rosenthal (Attorney-in-fact)</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-02-02</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
