<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0000893538-07-000039
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20070313
<FILING-DATE>20070314
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20070314
<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 700
<CITY>DENVER
<STATE>CO
<ZIP>80203
<PHONE>303-861-8140
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>BEST ANTHONY JAMES
<CIK>0001364843
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-31539
<FILM-NUMBER>07694644
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<PHONE>(303) 861-8140
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>1776 LINCOLN STREET
<STREET2>SUITE 700
<CITY>DENVER
<STATE>CO
<ZIP>80203
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>best13march07form4_ex.xml
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2007-03-13</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001364843</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BEST ANTHONY JAMES</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1776 LINCOLN STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 700</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>DENVER</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CO</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>80203</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>President &amp; CEO</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock; $.01 Par Value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-03-13</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1250</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>15655</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Mr. Best acquired 1,250 shares of the issuer's common stock on March 13, 2007.  Mr. Best may earn an additional 1,250 shares
 in each of the first quarters of 2008, 2009, and 2010 if he is employed by the issuer at the time.  He may also earn an
 additional 2,500 to 3,750 shares with each of these additional share grants if certain net asset value growth percentages
 are met.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Karin M. Writer (Attorney-In-Fact)</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2007-03-14</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
